[3g-g]

The GSMA would like 3G at 900MHz, stating the expansion of the market that would occur should the technology be implemented at that frequency, and I'd completely agree. Great for Vodafone and O2, not so good for T-Mobile, 3 and Orange, well, it could work out OK for Orange if their RAN share with Vodafone goes ahead!


The GSM Association, trade body of the mobile phone industry, is calling for regulators around the world to allow the use of 3G technology in the 900MHz band.

3G generally operates around 2.1GHz, but the GSMA reckons that if it used 900MHz too, then an additional 300 million people would be able to experience the joys of 3G, worldwide. The lower frequency has much greater range, and should provide better in-building coverage; in the UK it's used by O2 and Vodafone for their 2G networks.

Even though O2 and Vodafone have the rights to use the frequency in the UK, they are only allowed to deploy 2G: the licence explicitly states which technology is permitted.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/26/gsma_likes_900mhz/

[Ben]

The rumblings for this keep getting louder, and I think it's because that, if 3G is ever to completely replace GSM, it needs the 900MHz frequency. 2100MHz just doesn't seem 'good'! It's hopeless at travelling through buildings, to the extent that there's a chance we'll have mini-3G cells built into our routers, and it requires a lot more masts to be build - the last thing anybody wants is more masts.