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ComReg to auction off wireless broadband data spectrum

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  • 20-10-2005 1:07pm
    #1
    damien
    Registered Users Posts: 4,290 ✭✭✭


    From a post on John Collin's blog
    the news this morning is that comreg is to announce an auction process for its next allocation of spectrum. the spectrum is concerned is in the 400Mhz and 900Mhz bands and will be for what it calls "wideband digital mobile data services".

    It's believed there has been up to seven expressions of interest which is why comreg plans to move to an auction model rather than its "beauty contest" approach which has had mixed success in the past. three nationwide licences are going to be up for grabs when the proces is announced at lunchtime.


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    #2
    jwt
    Registered Users Posts: 849 ✭✭✭jwt


    Hmm CDMA2000 1xEV-DO works well at those frequencies, wasn't digtal trunked radio also supposed to operate around that region? or was it Tetra? PAMR?

    My worry about an auction process is that an operator could buy the spectrum just to sit on it.

    Also that the license period is either quite short or quite long* with options to take it back if not used.

    On the other hand if there was a lurker in the background who already used these frequencies successfully elsewhere and was ready to go in Ireland surely they should get bonus points in an auction scenario i.e. they might not offer the most money but still win.

    The 400Mhz band is interesting due to its Non LOS properties and wide cell area. From an ISP point of view, this could offer some useful outlets.

    At the 900 band cells are still huge, and 300K downloads are possible in theory.

    Definitely a “watch this space” issue.

    John


    *gives companies an incentive to invest in the technology


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    #3
    bminish
    Registered Users Posts: 480 ✭✭bminish


    jwt wrote:
    The 400Mhz band is interesting due to its Non LOS properties and wide cell area. From an ISP point of view, this could offer some useful outlets.

    However it's only in 2 MHz wide chunks, giving a few 100 Kbs for a fairly limited number of users.
    the 900Mhz spectrum is in 4 Mhz Chunks, might just make 1 Mbs for a limited number of users

    Comreg can say what they like, this spectrum will not be used for broadband delivery, narrow or mid-band data to a small market possibly, but not broadband.

    I would also expect that if the successful winners of allocations decide to offer services to the general public we will see GPRS style charging, I.e by the Kb of transfer due to the scarcity of spectrum.

    Of course if Ireland had moved towards digital terrestrial TV we would have a pretty large chunk of prime non line of sight spectrum coming up for redeployment in a couple of years


    .brendan


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