News


spectrum auction – the largest ever sale of mobile airwaves in the UK. T e following organiza-


O


tions have qualifi ed to bid in the auction, which will start in January: Everything Everywhere (UK), HKT UK (a subsidiary of PCCW), Hutchison 3G UK, MLL Telecom, Niche Spectrum Ventures (a subsidiary of BT Group plc), Telefónica UK, and Vodafone. T is new spectrum will boost


Bidders gear up for 4G auction T


fcom has announced the bidders in the forthcoming 4G mobile


in the UK and deliver signifi cant benefi ts to consumers in terms of better, faster and more reliable mobile broadband connections.” Bidders will be competing for


spectrum in two separate bands – 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz. T e lower frequency 800 MHz band is part of the ‘digital dividend’ freed up when analogue terrestrial TV was switched off , which is ideal for widespread mobile coverage. T e higher frequency 2.6 GHz


the amount of airwaves available to mobile phones by more than 75 per cent and will play a critical role in helping to meet a growing demand for mobile data among consumers. Ed Richards, Ofcom chief ex-


ecutive, said: “T e 4G auction will be a competitive process that will dictate the shape of the UK mobile phone market for the next decade and beyond. “New 4G services will stimulate investment, growth and innovation


band is ideal for delivering the capacity needed to deliver faster speeds. T ese two bands add up to 250 MHz of additional mobile spectrum, compared to 333 MHz in use today. Both bands are being packaged into smaller lots for the auction.


Dutch results T e news follows results of the spectrum auction in the Nether- lands, which raised €3.8bn and has boosted expectations for the UK auction. Commenting on the results, Brian Potterill, director in Price


Waterhouse Cooper’s telecoms strategy team, said: “In the Autumn Statement the chancellor budgeted for proceeds of £3.5bn, which is comfortably within PwC’s expected range of £2bn-£4bn. T e result of the auction in the Netherlands is bound to add to confi dence that the £3.5bn will be achieved. “T e high prices in the Nether-


lands were caused by the Govern- ment setting aside some of the most valuable 800MHz spectrum for a fourth operator. T is created a squeeze which drove up prices. T e UK 4G auction is designed to ensure that a fourth operator can get a credible portfolio of spectrum but doesn’t specifi cally set aside the valuable 800MHz, so it is unlikely that we will get the same squeezed conditions from the larger opera- tors. However, the Netherlands result adds to the sense that mobile spectrum is increasing in value as demand for smartphones grows. T e auction will start in the UK


at the end of January with results expected in early March.


Ministry of Defence reveals plan to sell off part of its spectrum T


he Ministry of Defence (MOD) has announced plans


to auction some of its radio spectrum in the fi rst direct sale of its kind by a government department. The spectrum being sold by


the MOD is all below 15GHz which is regarded as the most useful and valuable part of the radio spectrum because of its wide range of applications. The announcement comes


as market demand for extra spectrum is mounting, fuelled by the sharp rise in the use of spectrum-hungry devices such as smartphones and tablets. The sale will give private


operators the chance to buy more spectrum to support


4


the introduction of fourth- generation mobile services to people in cities, towns and villages across the UK. Alternatively the spectrum


could be used by fi xed-line operators to provide wireless access to broadband services. Almost half of all spectrum


below 15GHz is held by the public sector. The MOD holds around three-quarters of all publicly-held spectrum and one-third of all spectrum below 15GHz. Philip Dunne, a defence


minister, said: “We welcome this opportunity to free up much-needed spectrum. We hope that the sale will help drive the roll-out of new generation


Key players sign-up to Wi-Fi group


he Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) has


launched its Interoperability Compliancy Program (ICP), an initiative that will streamline the way WBA members work together on a common set of technical and commercial frameworks for Wi-Fi roaming. Key global players in the Wi-Fi ecosystem such as AT&T, Boingo Wireless, BT, China Mobile, KT, NTT Docomo, PCCW, Shaw Communications, Smart Communications and True have confi rmed their participation. The programme outlines


compliancy guidelines for operators with different support levels. These range from simple integration requirements for roaming partners, to delivering support for the latest in session security, to more complex charging models and billing mechanisms required for the implementation of next generation hotspots. Shrikant Shenwai, chief


networks and universal access to broadband, both of which are vital to the UK’s prosperity.” The sale follows the


announcement made in the Government’s 2010 Spending Review that at least 500MHz of public spectrum below 5GHz will be released by 2020 for new mobile communications uses. The spectrum to be sold off is being cleared of military users to contribute towards this target. Preparations are expected to


start at the end of 2013, with the auction completed by the summer of 2014. Ahead of this, the MOD intends to produce an Industry Brochure in early spring 2013 and to host an Industry Day in early summer 2013.


executive offi cer of the WBA, said: “With public Wi-Fi emerging as a key component of operators’ offerings, it has never been more essential for the WBA to encourage interoperability and collaboration within the Wi-Fi community. Our new ICP provides a framework for operators to assess their own network capabilities and make it easier to create bilateral Wi-Fi roaming agreements. The programme’s guidelines help Wi-Fi providers plan for future network enhancements and introduce new products and services. The ICP helps players across the Wi-Fi ecosystem work together to deliver a more simplifi ed roaming experience.”


LAND mobile January 2013


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