The Platform is designed to enhance cooperation amongst industry players, including the research community and public authorities, most notably the European Commission. The overall objective of the Platform is to drive future technology development in mobile and wireless communications in the way that best serves Europe's citizens and the European economy.

                       

"Mobile and wireless communications have created unprecedented possibilities for people to communicate and have been instrumental in generating economic growth. Europe has been leading this development, based on the timely initiative of administrations, the scale of the EU market, a consistent regulatory approach, as well as considerable industrial and R&D investment," said Magnus Madfors, Chairman of the eMobility Steering Board.

"In order to maintain the position of Europe in the global market for mobile and wireless systems in the 2010 - 2020 time frame, it will be necessary to develop large-scale European approaches to system research and development as well as to wireless services and applications in the context of digital convergence. The eMobility Technology Platform will define and implement a comprehensive research agenda in the mobile and wireless sector to this end," he continued.

Fifteen telecom equipment vendors, component makers and operators -Alcatel, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, France Telecom, H3G, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nokia, Philips, Siemens, STMicroelectronics, Thales, TIM, Telefónica Móviles España, S.A.and Vodafone, in collaboration with leading European academics- have committed to create and maintain the required momentum for driving the activities forward.

The eMobility Technology Platform supports the renewed Lisbon Strategy for a competitive, knowledge-based society, and confirms the key role of scientific research and technological development for economic growth. It will provide input for the European R&D Framework Program 7, which will run from 2007 onwards.

The key objectives of the eMobility Technology Platform are:

- Development of a common mid- to long-term vision to maximise the benefit of mobile and wireless communications, thus enabling economic and social advance in the EU

- Formulation of the requirements and options for major leading-edge applications of common interest

- Identification of a set of generic applications for 2010 -  2020

- Formulation of an action plan and time-table for the key developments

- Investment in technology including R&D and human resources

- Evolution of a consistent policy, spectrum and regulatory framework facilitating the long-term investments required.

The resulting work will improve daily life of Europe's citizens and enterprise by overcoming technical challenges such as secured electronic payments, personal and business data access anywhere at anytime and seamless continuity of services between networks and devices.

The eMobility Technology Platform is open for all who share its views and are willing to contribute to the realisation of a common vision.

Today more than 100 organisations have subscribed to this initiative and have planned to attend the kick-off general meeting on the 5th of April in Brussels.

Read more at: www.emobility.eu.org