Ofcom releases high frequency spectrum

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Ofcom has announced the release of high frequency spectrum for new broadband services.

Details of the telecom regulator's fourth auction of radio spectrum licences, which is part of a programme to release new spectrum to encourage a wider range of uses including high-capacity wireless broadband services, were announced yesterday.

The higher frequency spectrum bands being released for auction are between 10GHz and 40GHz, which enables large amounts of data to be carried further than before, up to distances of up to 12 kilometres.

The regulator said it would be suitable for a number of different uses including high-capacity broadband, including the ability to share wireless internet connections across buildings in close proximity and makes use of previously unused spectrum.

The provisional date for applications to take part in the spectrum auction is 16 January 2008, although it said this date will be confirmed before Christmas.

Licences will be awarded through an online auction, designed to ensure they are granted on a technology and service neutral basis and will be tradable between licence holders once allocated.

This, Ofcom said, would allow operators the flexibility to adapt their spectrum use over time, according to technology choices and services they want to offer.

"The auction is part of a programme of making the most efficient use of the UK's valuable spectrum resource," stated Ofcom. "This will benefit consumers by providing access to new services, greater choice and competition. It will also benefit the economy; Ofcom's research has shown that the use of the radio spectrum contributes at least £37 billion or three per cent to UK GDP."

Rob Bamforth, principal analyst for research firmQuocirca agreed that this part of the spectrum could be "useful to organisations that need to keep their whole backhauled infrastructure together between sites, rather like wireless Ethernet."

But he questioned whether this auction would be attractive to major network operators. "It may be attractive to those trying to serve big business or for specialised applications to with security, for example," he said.

"But I'm not sure this will help fixed-mobile convergence needs, when the most efficient way of carrying large amounts of data around the country is with cable or fibre."

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