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U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
Press StatementPress Statement by James P. Rubin, Spokesman
December 22, 1998
United States Presses Europe To Adopt Fair Standards
For Wireless CommunicationsThe United States today called on the European Commission to allow U.S. third generation (3G) wireless equipment and service providers a fair opportunity to compete in Europe. In a letter to EC Commissioner Martin Bangemann signed by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, United States Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky, Secretary of Commerce William Daley, and Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard, the United States expressed concern over developments in Europe that appear to promote a particular European-developed 3G standard to the exclusion of other technologies. These developments seem incompatible with the ongoing industry-led efforts, within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to achieve a global consensus that would harmonize 3G standards to the fullest extent possible.
"This is a question of basic fairness in telecommunications trade. The United States market is open to the 3G standard proposed by Europe. We expect access in Europe for technologies used by our industry as well," said United States Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky. "We are monitoring the implementation of 3G measures by the European Union and Member States for compliance with the EU’s overall WTO telecommunications obligations. We are seeking specific assurances from European governments that U.S. industry will be able to deploy competing 3G technologies and services in Europe at the same time that European-sponsored 3G technologies and services are deployed."
"U.S. industry is concerned that industrial policy considerations are driving a European effort to gain a first-to-market advantage for a unique European technological specification, by rushing it through official standardization and service licensing processes," said Commerce Secretary William Daley. "We believe European governments instead should allow the effort to develop 3G systems, led by the ITU, to bring about market-driven rather than government-driven decisions, including the approval of converged or multiple standards, as deemed appropriate by ITU participants."
The ITU has set a March 31, 1999 deadline for deciding on key characteristics for 3G standardization, as it seeks to develop final recommendations on 3G issues by December 31, 1999. However, some European countries are poised to auction radio spectrum for 3G services in 1999, without allowing sufficient time for commercial operators to take advantage of the ITU’s 3G decision. The early auctions could effectively preclude any technology but the European-sponsored 3G standard from arriving first on European markets.
FCC Chairman Kennard added, "I am concerned that Europe may be effectively bypassing the ITU consensus process by prematurely adopting a particular standard without regard to the market-based needs of service providers in other countries, including the U.S. The recently adopted decision of the European Commission, which appears to prohibit the operation within Europe of any third generation standard except that adopted by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), would preclude marketplace consideration of rival standards and restrict consumer choice.
[end of document]
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