Spectrum Trading Might Decline Communications Services

efinland.fi
the eFinland Weblog
Helsinki, 9 December, 2005

Helsinki, 9 December, 2005 — At the meeting of the European Union telecommunications ministers on 1 December in Brussels, Finland expressed its concern about a market-based approach to spectrum management. Finland’s views differ from the EU Commission’s plans that are included in the guidelines for Better Regulation in Electronic Communications Markets and Spectrum Policy.

Ms Susanna Huovinen, Minister of Transport and Communications of Finland, stresses the importance to discuss the spectrum management in the European level. The development of information and communications technology sector can be promoted by efficient and flexible spectrum policy.

However, Minister Huovinen says that the trading alternative involves a risk that spectrum will concentrate in the hands of only a few players and there will be speculation in the radio spectrum markets. That would mean that the basis of the spectrum policy would no longer be the services for the end-users but the competition would be steered by the value of ownership.

This might result in a smaller supply of high-quality and versatile communications services. A trend like that might be reflected in television services, for example.

The Ministry’s views are shared by Finnish players in the communications market sector.

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