European Lawmakers are gonna Get Out of the Way of WiFi Usage
The growth of “wireless fidelity,” or Wifi, systems in everything from televisions to computer games to mobile phones has caught the eye of the European Parliament too, where lawmakers are looking at proposals that would expand the concept.
Wifi connections even reach to the Internet and the remote locks on cars and make use of radio spectrum. Despite widespread use, the benefits to industry are not being exploited with all 27 EU states having different management systems. In mid-February, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) adopted a report on radio spectrum calling for common rules and more market-driven policies.
The use of radio spectrum is crucial in any appliance that uses wireless communication, including playing a role in guidance systems for planes, ships, satellites and in the defence industry.
The parliament’s news service reported that, at present, the system for assigning spectrum to interested parties differs from one European Union country to another. This causes delays, extra costs and stifles competition in the market. This is particularly felt by firms who have to compete with US ones - where a single rule for managing radio spectrum exists, the service said.
Last year, the European Commission unveiled proposals that would improve innovation and competitiveness through common rules and a market based approach.
The Parliament’s rapporteur for this issue, Fiona Hall of the United Kingdom, has broadly backed the Commission’s proposals. Her report, adopted by MEPs on February 14, advocates a four step solution:
-Promote competition and innovation that will benefit consumers
-Establish common rules on managing the sector across the EU
-Assign radio spectrum access based on market demand
-Ensure radio transmissions are not restricted by national boundaries
Speaking exclusively to the parliament’s website, Hall spoke of the benefits to consumers: “Despite hard lobbying by certain broadcasters, MEPs supported the idea that all parts of the spectrum could potentially be opened up. This could mean new uses for the spectrum...(especially) services such as wireless broadband for poor and hard-to-reach rural areas,” she noted.
The term “Wifi,” was promulgated by the Wifi Alliance, an organisation made up of leading wireless equipment and software providers with the missions of certifying all 802.11-based products for interoperability and promoting the term Wi-Fi as the global brand name across all markets for any 802.11-based wireless Local Area Networks (LAN) products.
Increasing access to radio spectrum is expected to benefit to consumers through cheaper and more accessible appliances such as mobile phones (especially 3G third generation ones) and other wireless related services.
Opening the EU’s internal market in this sector could also create jobs. As she noted, “The pace of innovation in wireless technology is very fast, but manufacturers can only put their new suitable ideas on the market if they are suitable radio frequencies available. Freeing up radio spectrum ....will allow European manufacturers to fulfill their potential as global leaders in wireless technology, which in turn will create European jobs and growth.”
Wifi has quickly become the next big leap in technology, including on computer games which have become enormously popular amongst young people because they offer more realistic adaptions of human behaviour when playing them.
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Via neurope
Wifi connections even reach to the Internet and the remote locks on cars and make use of radio spectrum. Despite widespread use, the benefits to industry are not being exploited with all 27 EU states having different management systems. In mid-February, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) adopted a report on radio spectrum calling for common rules and more market-driven policies.
The use of radio spectrum is crucial in any appliance that uses wireless communication, including playing a role in guidance systems for planes, ships, satellites and in the defence industry.
The parliament’s news service reported that, at present, the system for assigning spectrum to interested parties differs from one European Union country to another. This causes delays, extra costs and stifles competition in the market. This is particularly felt by firms who have to compete with US ones - where a single rule for managing radio spectrum exists, the service said.
Last year, the European Commission unveiled proposals that would improve innovation and competitiveness through common rules and a market based approach.
The Parliament’s rapporteur for this issue, Fiona Hall of the United Kingdom, has broadly backed the Commission’s proposals. Her report, adopted by MEPs on February 14, advocates a four step solution:
-Promote competition and innovation that will benefit consumers
-Establish common rules on managing the sector across the EU
-Assign radio spectrum access based on market demand
-Ensure radio transmissions are not restricted by national boundaries
Speaking exclusively to the parliament’s website, Hall spoke of the benefits to consumers: “Despite hard lobbying by certain broadcasters, MEPs supported the idea that all parts of the spectrum could potentially be opened up. This could mean new uses for the spectrum...(especially) services such as wireless broadband for poor and hard-to-reach rural areas,” she noted.
The term “Wifi,” was promulgated by the Wifi Alliance, an organisation made up of leading wireless equipment and software providers with the missions of certifying all 802.11-based products for interoperability and promoting the term Wi-Fi as the global brand name across all markets for any 802.11-based wireless Local Area Networks (LAN) products.
Increasing access to radio spectrum is expected to benefit to consumers through cheaper and more accessible appliances such as mobile phones (especially 3G third generation ones) and other wireless related services.
Opening the EU’s internal market in this sector could also create jobs. As she noted, “The pace of innovation in wireless technology is very fast, but manufacturers can only put their new suitable ideas on the market if they are suitable radio frequencies available. Freeing up radio spectrum ....will allow European manufacturers to fulfill their potential as global leaders in wireless technology, which in turn will create European jobs and growth.”
Wifi has quickly become the next big leap in technology, including on computer games which have become enormously popular amongst young people because they offer more realistic adaptions of human behaviour when playing them.
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Via neurope
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