Emergencies: 1-European cooperation for frequencies

The growing threats against the telecommunication and information technology sectors have to be considered according to the drawbacks entailed by delays in these sectors and which create problems on the overall of the economy.

In the long run, there is no doubt that these two sectors will be dynamic again and will spread on other sectors. But when? Will the delays become longer in the French and European economy?

That's why it is urgent to act now, and in six fields: the European cooperation, the conditions to award UTMS licenses, the encouragement to the development of the GPRS, the maintenance of a satellite capacity in France and Europe for telecommunications, the spread of the broadband Internet in our country and the reinforcement of political coordination for the efforts made by public authorities.

1- Reinforce European cooperation in the field of frequencies

One could dream about the situation of European telecommunication companies if member-States had accepted the suggestion of the Commission to harmonize the conditions to award UMTS licenses.

Concerning this assumption, it is more than possible that things wouldn't have happened the same way, so that your reporters have now to underline the emergency to act.

In another field, the one of the European spectrum of frequencies, it would be useful to start thinking about the European standardization for the distribution of this spectrum.

Why?

At the moment, except in a few sectors, the frequency loops are spread –for historic reasons- in a totally different way in each country.

To give one sole example, if you listen to a digital radio program in Alsace, it won't be possible for you to listen to it on the same frequency a few kilometres away beyond the German border.

However, the creation of a real European telecommunication market will depend more and more from a convergence of frequency distribution.

On the long run, it is necessary to call the situation into question. We have to get ready for it. A public hearing with the contribution of European manufacturers and operators would show the interest of it.