At the last WP8F meeting in Cameroon in January this year, the pro-WiMAX lobby led by Intel Corp pushed for agreement on the inclusion of IP-OFDMA as a new IMT-2000 radio interface by the end of the Kyoto meeting.
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Thursday, May 31, 2007
Decision on WiMAX joining IMT-2000 goes to wire
As the ITU Working Party 8F meeting in Kyoto entered its final day, delegates would not be drawn on what progress, if any, had been made on the contentious question of getting WiMAX admitted to IMT2000.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
MediaFLO presses for technology neutrality in mobile TV
The benefits of letting the market choose the best mobile TV technology are already evident in the US, says the FLO Forum.
The FLO forum which represents companies interested in the Qualcomm-developed MediaFLO technology, have hosted a regulatory seminar in Brussels to present the case for technology neutrality in the introduction of mobile TV services.
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Friday, May 25, 2007
Satellite operators fear further UK liberalisation
Industry fears that the UK's plans for an important satellite frequency – due to be finalised in the next few weeks - could drive smaller operators out of the country
The band in question is 28GHz, an essential frequency for satellite broadband providers because it is used as a 'gateway' band to communicate with the satellites. Ofcom regard this as a under-used band which they want to auction in order to ensure the maximum use of the radio spectrum. They want to auction it in two national licences and three near-national licences later this year. It would be part of a series of auctions also including the 10 GHz and 32 GHz and 40 GHz bands, sold as tradeable, technology and application neutral licences with a £50,000 minimum bid.
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Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Financial institutions have no interest in spectrum trading
Spectrum trading may be the centrepiece of this summer's Framework Review and in place for two and a half years in the UK but still there is no sign of that essential ingredient for a dynamic market – interest from the financial institutions.
One consultant who has a vested interest in seeing a spectrum trading market develop and who did not want to be named, pointed out there is a big difference between wishing for something to happen and making it happen and at the moment the EC and Ofcom are in the wishing stage.
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Friday, May 18, 2007
MPs back free market approach to released TV frequencies
An influential committee of the UK Parliament has rejected terrestrial broadcasters' calls to set aside digital dividend spectrum for HDTV but supported action to help wireless microphone users.
Ofcom wants to auction the frequencies released by digital switchover on a technology and application neutral basis. The Culture Media and Sport Select Committee had been lobbied heavily by broadcasters but its report on the <a href= http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmcumeds/509/509i.pdf>New Media and the Creative Industries</a> endorsed Ofcom's approach and concluded that "a persuasive case has yet been made to justify reserving spectrum." (p83)
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Thursday, May 17, 2007
EU member states agree to set up improved spectrum database
The Europe-wide online portal giving information about spectrum use and ownership first proposed three years ago will not be complete until 2010
All EU countries will be required to provide detailed information on spectrum licences and the technical requirements for using frequency bands following a Commission Decision published this week. Brussels says this will stimulate investment in the wireless sector by providing a common European portal for information currently held in a variety of formats by national regulators.
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Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Consultation: Consultation on RSC Work Programme 2007
The RSC is seeking views on its planned work programme for 2007, which includes harmonisation measures and on-going or new mandates and other issues. Interested parties are invited to comment by e-mailing infso-rsc@ec.europa.eu.
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Monday, May 14, 2007
Can you put a social value on spectrum?
If the market is perceived as the most efficient way of allocating frequencies is it possible to value the wider public policy initiatives which require spectrum usage? It's a hotly contested area, as the UK is finding out.
'You can't buck the market.' That is an expression which in the UK has become firmly associated in people's minds with former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Her attachment to free-market economics had a major impact on the country in the 1980s. Fast forward to 2007, and it is beginning to seem like the phrase has been adopted as the motto of UK telecoms regulator Ofcom.
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Wednesday, May 09, 2007
CDMA2000 gets special treatment in Hong Kong
Hong Kong's regulator has announced the award of a technology specific CDMA2000 licence shortly after the publication of a policy framework which endorsed moves towards liberalisation.
Hong Kong has been reviewing spectrum policy over the past year, commissioning a consultants report to explore the implications of liberalisation which was published in October last year.
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Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Consultation: The introduction of 3G in the 900 and 1800 MHz bands in Metropolitan France
This consultation by the French regulator aims to make sector players aware of the regulatory means which might be chosen for the reuse of the 900 and 1800 MHz bands for 3G. Included in this discussion is reassigning the frequency assignments for the existing three 3G operators should a fourth operator enter the market. Applications for a fourth 3G operator were invited on 8 March 2007.
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Friday, May 04, 2007
Opinion: spectrum trading – the framework exists
A flexible spectrum management regime to support both liberalisation and new developments like cognitive radio is already working well in Australia argues its creator, Michael Whittaker.
At the start of 2007, over 5000 WCDMA (850 MHz) base stations had been authorised under Australian spectrum licensing during the previous 3 months using an online process. Justin Milne the Group Managing Director of Telstra BigPond said on 20 March 2007 "Just a few months ago we launched our Next G™ wireless network (WCDMA 850MHz), which is the biggest and fastest mobile 3G network in the world, providing high-speed wireless broadband access to 98% of Australia's population. Because this network is not regulated we've been able to build it in record time and we can sell it at a price determined by the market to recoup our investment over time."
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Tuesday, May 01, 2007
May printed issue available for download
Our theme this month is cognitive radio. After the first 'real world' trials in Ireland we analyse technological progress and the reaction from regulators and the scientific community.
We also consider the response to the UK's ground breaking proposals for unlicensed usage; steps towards spectrum liberalisation in Hong Kong and international progress on using mobiles on aircraft.
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