UK Broadband LTE to launch 2012

[Ben]

UK Broadband, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based telecoms group PCCW, is preparing to launch an LTE network in the UK using spectrum it already holds, with the intention of offering services as early as next year. The company is planning to offer services on a wholesale basis, and its timings will put its network build ahead of those of the UK mobile operators – regulator Ofcom is planning to auction LTE-suitable spectrum next year. According to the Financial Times, Nicholas James, chief executive of UK Broadband, said that “we are currently working with our vendors to finalise the equipment offering on our spectrum. And we are finalising our network planning and our business plan.”

UK Broadband holds 3.5GHz spectrum which was initially licensed for fixed wireless services, although this was subsequently modified to permit use for other applications. The company also has 3.6GHz spectrum it acquired from a failed rival. With the success of fixed broadband services having been limited, the use of the spectrum to deploy LTE will offer obvious benefits to the company. However, it will be implementing the technology in a band that is not currently popular for such deployments, which may limit the availability of infrastructure and devices. The Financial Times reports that UK Broadband has held talks with companies who may want to partner to offer LTE services to customers, including Virgin Media – although it said that Virgin had declined to comment on such talks.

--GSMA

Looks like the mobile operators may just get that kick up the backside that they so richly deserve...

[Hands0n]

This is very interesting and links directly to a conversation I was having with one of my work colleagues today. That was about how fixed-line ADSL has a very limited shelf life in the light of the up and coming LTE and subsequently 4G over the next few years. With all of the problems ADSL has in terms of distribution and availability the future has to be wireless. It makes not sense to tether to a landline anymore. All that limits us is the available bitrate across 3G - albeit can be significantly higher than is sold today - and the back-haul circuit that links the transmitter mast to the core network.

This development by UK Broadband also signals that the chances of WiMAX deployment in the UK is all but dead and buried. There is no attraction to do so, it is too little, too late.

Does this really give the mobile operators a kick up the backside? I doubt it. I think that will only happen if/when one of the mobile operators comes up with a commercial offering, widely deployed. It doesn't strike me that UK Broadband are actually going to compete for the same market space. But there is a huge untapped market for fixed line replacement - even fibre!

[DBMandrake]

I can't help but point out the elephant in the room here - 3.5Ghz for mobile broadband. Seriously ? In 2012 ?

Have the experiences with 2.1Ghz 3G not taught everyone how inadequate such high frequencies are for in building penetration and lack of long distance coverage outdoors ? 3.5Ghz will be that much worse again than 2.1Ghz, not to mention LTE as a technology doesn't have quite the same range as 3G for a given frequency. (Just like 3G doesn't compared to 2G)

The networks who will be buying a chunk of 800Mhz spectrum for LTE will have nothing to fear from a network who only has access to 3.5Ghz, as the requirements for a huge number of masts to get any sort of coverage, and the lack of decent coverage especially indoors will kill them. It would be like the early days of Three, but minus 2G fall-back.

As far as getting fast, affordable, ubiquitous mobile broadband into the hands of consumers goes, going even higher in frequency is a big backwards step...