Mobile phone operators this week asked the European Commission
to let them offer mobile commerce, or “m-commerce,” services
without being hindered by inappropriate electronic money, or
“e-money,” regulations and to ensure that regulatory conditions are
harmonised across the EU.
The arguments were made at a meeting in Brussels between the
European Commission and 18 members of industry group GSM
Europe.
Discussions focused on crucial industry issues, such as
infrastructure sharing, spectrum management, licence conditions,
network rollout, m-commerce, new services and applications, and
also on the ways in which the Commission can help support the
industry to launch future 3G networks and services.
The wireless industry's leaders said the Commission should:
- Recognise the adverse risk of inappropriate regulation and its
over-spill on to new and innovative services, including 3G;
- With respect to environment, health and planning issues,
urgently consult with Member States and industry to support the
development of 3G services;
- With respect to the take up of mobile commerce, ensure that
mobile operators can offer innovative m-commerce services for their
subscribers without being hindered by inappropriate financial
regulation, that does not take into account the issues specific to
the mobile market, such as pre-pay;
- Support and encourage the use of national waivers under the
E-money Directive to enable third party pre-paid micropayments;
and
- Ensure that all providers of m-commerce services enjoy the same
regulatory conditions, i.e. a harmonised implementation of what is
known as the country of origin principle.
See:
The Recommendations document
News agency Reuters today reports that China may be about to
impose the strictest mobile phone radiation standards in the world.
A current proposal, if passed, would see handset emission levels
being capped at around half the level accepted in most countries.
The total cost to handset makers and mobile network operators is
being estimated in billions of dollars.
