UK communications regulator Ofcom is seeking to boost the availability of super-fast 4G mobile services by selling off radio spectrum that was previously allocated to the military. It said that the decision marks a "significant next step" in ensuring that the UK continues to meet the growing demands being placed on its wireless infrastructure.
The organisation has invited stakeholders to express their interest in acquiring spectrum that is being released for civil use by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
The MOD is releasing 190 MHz of radio spectrum for Ofcom to award for new commercial uses. The move could almost double the available spectrum that can be used for 4G, as the capacity up for sale is equivalent to around three-quarters of the initial 4G spectrum auction in February 2013.
Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said “Over the next decade we will see a revolution in the way that people connect to the internet, driven by the ability to wirelessly access the internet at super fast speeds.
"However, this development will also place huge demands on the UK’s wireless infrastructure. Releasing MOD spectrum onto the commercial marketplace is an important step in helping to meet this extraordinary demand.”
Ofcom pointed out that, in the UK currently, half of all adults now own a smartphone and one in four households has a tablet computer, fueling a surge in demand for more data capacity. By 2020, up to 50 billion other things including cars, coffee machines and cardiac monitors are also likely be connected to the internet, using tiny slivers of spectrum to get online.
The frequencies to be released by Ofcom are all below 5 GHz, forming part of the radio spectrum regarded as "particularly attractive" in supporting a wide range of potential consumer applications.
Ofcom believes that the bands are likely to appeal to companies wishing to deliver 4G wireless broadband services. The organisation expects the spectrum to be awarded in the financial year 2015-16.
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