Digital economy blueprint

5.  Environmental regulations which specify the 

technology to be used in order to reduce emis-

sions or to define consumer protection rules in re-

lation to the use of a specific type of safety device 

should be put in place.

6.  Spectrum Policy: The spectrum allocation and 

use, is one of the most powerful levers govern-

ments can pull to further connectivity. But many 

governments regard spectrum as an asset whose 

financial value to the state should be maximized 

rather than as a potent means of expanding cover-

age and use. 

High auction prices can also limit successful bid-

ders’ ability to make the capital investments that 

are necessary to put their newly acquired purchases 

to use, turning a scarce resource into a wasted one. 

The primary goal for policymakers and regulators 

should be to maximize the use — rather than the 

revenue to the state from spectrum. This can be best 

achieved by making sufficient spectrum available 

for mobile networks resulted in sufficient spectrum 

availability for all players and prices that allowed 

for infrastructure build-out after the auction, due to 

an open and transparent system, early consultation 

with the critical participants and consideration of 

local market dynamics.  

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DIGITAL ECONOMY BLUEPRINT

Some governments are also addressing spectrum 

shortages by permitting spectrum sharing under 

certain circumstances. India, for example, allows 

spectrum sharing in situations where both the 

licensees own rights to spectrum in the same band. 

Regulations that encourage the sharing of passive 

infrastructure, such as cell towers, are another way 

that governments can further network investment. 

The primary goal for policymakers and regulators 

is to maximize the use — rather than the revenue to 

the state from spectrum. This can be best achieved 

by  making  sufficient  spectrum  available  for  mo-

bile networks. The 2015 auction by Germany’s 

Bundesnetzagentur  (which  awarded  spectrum  in 

the 700 MHz, 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands) is 

an example of a process that resulted in sufficient 

spectrum availability for all players and prices that 

allowed for infrastructure build-out after the auc-

tion, due to an open and transparent system, early 

consultation with the critical participants and con-

sideration of local market dynamics.