The European Commission recently funded a study assessing the importance of Wi-Fi and the socio-economic benefits of small cell infrastructures. The study was carried out by WIK and Aegis. It highlights the important role Wi-Fi plays in connecting European citizens with the internet.

Wi-Fi is generally used in homes or work environments when more than one device requires internet access at the same time. However, in recent times Wi-Fi is being provided more frequently in public places such as cafés, train stations and airports.

This new trend will greatly benefit mobile operators as it provides a way to process the annual 66 per cent increase in demand for mobile data traffic which has been predicted for the next four years. It is also expected that by 2017 approximately 80 per cent of all traffic to mobile devices such as smartphones will be via Wi-Fi. This is because European citizens are using their smartphones more and more frequently to join Wi-Fi connections both at home and in the work place. The UK, France and Germany are examples of EU member states where this is becoming the norm. According to the Commission-funded study, an estimated 71 per cent of wireless data traffic in 2012 across the European Union was through mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It has been predicted that this will increase to 78 per cent over the next three years.

The reason for this increase has been attributed to the cheap costs for consumers associated with using Wi-Fi hotspots. WIK and Aegis’ study therefore emphasises the need for more Wi-Fi spectrum to be made available across the Europe Union. By offloading mobile data traffic to Wi-Fi hotspots it is expected that network costs can be reduced by approximately €200 billion over the next three to four years.

It is expected that by 2017 approximately 80 per cent of all traffic to mobile devices such as smartphones will be via Wi-Fi

European Commission vice president Neelie Kroes stated that the Commission intends to extend the use of small infrastructures, such as Wi-Fi, across the Europe Union. It is hoped this will be achieved by providing extra spectrum as well as lighter EU regulation.

Despite the emphasis being placed on Wi-Fi as the way forward, it is necessary to remember that 3G/4G networks are essential for all mobile activity. However, many mobile networks in Europe are experiencing difficulty in dealing with data traffic congestion. This is because spectrum rights required for 3G/4G networks are expensive.

The cost of such 3G/4G networks is evident in the high prices paid by consumers for data roaming. As Commissioner Kroes stated, small infrastructure such as Wi-Fi are ideal for providing a greater range of citizens with better access to internet.

This initiative to provide all European citizens with cheaper and easier access to Wi-Fi coincides with the Commission’s proposed reforms in the area of telecommunications and mobile phone charges in particular. The European Commission recently released figures from a study outlining the different costs paid by citizens for mobile phone services across the European Union.

The greatest difference identified was in the cost of domestic mobile calls; consumers in the Netherlands pay approximately 774 per cent more than in Lithuania for such calls. The quality of the network was not linked in any way to the price paid by consumers.

As Commissioner Kroes stated, such extreme cost differences highlight the need to create a true single market. Creating an effective single market will ensure mobile phone costs are applied in a fair and consistent manner across the European Union.

Finally, Kroes is calling for legislation to be introduced before the European elections next May which would end all mobile roaming charges within Europe. The Commissioner feels that a legislative proposal should be ready for Easter 2014.

Such a legislative proposal would build on previous regulations introduced by the Commission such as the caps introduced on the prices of cross-border mobile calls within Europe and the 2011 proposal to restructure the European market for roaming phone calls.

David Casa is a Nationalist MEP.

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