Hungary Ensures Wireless Internet Service For Radio Frequency Availability
The European Commission has ordered Hungary and Spain to ensure that the 900MHz radio frequency band is available for services such as mobile Internet and wireless Internet service for radio. The countries have two months to comply with the Commission's request, or they could be referred to the European Court of Justice which can impose fines for non-compliance.
European member states were supposed to open the 900MHz band last year to more advanced access technologies like Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). This is an important step in the EC efforts to promote rapid and widespread roll-out of wireless broadband services. The Commission has also taken France and Spain and Hungary to the European Court of Justice over taxes on mobile phone operators and telecoms. Hungary introduced a special tax on electronic communication companies in October 2010, while France and Spain introduced .9% taxes on operators in 2009.