Emergency services need more EU spectrum - report

A new report calls for public safety and security considerationsto be "made a priority" in Europe's so-called digital dividenddebate.

The study, published on Monday, says that the emergency servicesmust be able to benefit from the spectrum, or radio waves, whichwill be made available by the switchover from analogue to digitaltelevision.

Broadcasters are reluctant to give up the spectrum because theywant to use it for new services such as high definition tv.

The report was commissioned by Motorola and the EuropeanAeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), and was debated byexperts from the industry at a conference in on Monday.

It says that the current allocation of spectrum is “inadequate”for the emergency services, such as the fire service and the policeforces, to meet their communication needs.

Such spectrum, it suggests, could in future be used to provide“vital” broadband services, such as the circulation of photographsof missing children to the police.

Speaking at the event, Jens Kristiansen of Motorola said that“as Europe's emergency services work more closely together,additional allocated spectrum can give these vital organisationsthe capability to share information in addition to voice messagesand work more effectively”.

He said that current communications systems used by emergencyservices rely on limited bandwidth for voice services, which couldbe insufficient in the case of a major incident.

“This report demonstrates that we must look beyond the purelyeconomic benefits of the digital dividend and allocate frequenciesthat, put simply, could save lives,” said Kristiansen.

• Previous article
• Next article