Spectrum, mobile & wireless update January 2017

A number of switch-offs were reported this month:

• BBC News and New Scientist reported on the commencement of the switch-off of FM radio in Norway (more background on this here). All national FM broadcasts will end by the close of 2017.
• In the US AT&T discontinued its 2G network on 1st January 2017, “to help support the massive growth of mobile internet usage and free up spectrum for newer technologies.”
• The Taipei Times reported that Taiwan’sNational Communications Commission (NCC) is urging 2G subscribers to migrate to 3G or 4G as 2G licenses are set to expire on 30th June 2017.
• CCS Insight published an overview of the potential for operators to shut down 2G networks.

5G developments:

• The UK Government published an interim report by the Future Communications Challenge Group (FCCG) of senior academics, industry experts and investors on what the UK should do in order to become a world leader in 5G. The report proposes that the Government should “fund a major programme of 5G development and deployment activities to ensure that the UK can remain a key player on the global communications stage as well as bringing significant benefits to society and the economy from education to transport, from healthcare to entertainment.”
• A new report from Communications Chambers and funded by Deutsche Telekom suggested that we should “focus on the individual and app, and work back via points in the network where traffic is aggregated, rather than focus on the premise and fixed connectivity per se.” The current approach focusing on connectivity to premises is described as “backward looking”: “The focus should be on ubiquitous wireless connectivity indoors and outdoors, and on fibre as required to support this vision. More fibre will be required, but not necessarily to the premise.” Also see commentary from ISP Review.
• AT&T set out its evolution plans for 5G for 2017 and beyond; it will continue to deploy its 4G LTE-Advanced network and expects to “begin reaching peak theoretical speeds of up to 1 Gbps at some cell sites in 2017.” It will also conduct a trial in Austin in the first half of 2017where residential customers can stream the DIRECTV NOW video service over a fixed wireless 5G connection. Further 5G trials will follow.
• Ericsson performed the first live 5G end-to-end demonstration in Thailand using its 5G test bed and 5G ready core, achieving a peak throughput of 5.7Gbps and latency as low as 3ms. It also with Orange demonstrated speeds beyond 10Gbps in a live 5G field trial in France.
• Intel announced the world’s first 5G modem “to support both early trials and to lay a foundation enabling accelerated development of products that will support the 3GPP NR specification and help drive global adoption of the 3GPP 5G standard.”

Other spectrum, mobile and wireless developments this month:

• The Telegraph and ISP Review reported that the Church of England has offered use of its 16,000 churches to help provision broadband in rural areas via satellite connections.
• BT and Virgin Media agreed a new five year mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) agreement under which EE will provide wholesale mobile network services to Virgin Media.
• Ofcom published proposals to make changes to spectrum trading regulations for mobile services in the 3600 to 3800 MHz band. These changes would enable Ofcom to conduct an assessment of the impact on competition of any trade before deciding on whether to approve it; also see commentary from Out-Law. Ofcom recently consulted on making the 3600 to 3800 MHz band available for 5G / mobile services in the future.
• Ofcom also published a statement on space spectrum, announcing that it will focus on “enabling growth in satellite broadband and earth observation. We will do this by providing greater access to spectrum for these areas. This will include negotiating international agreements to free up spectrum for new uses, and by facilitating access to spectrum used by the public sector.”
• The City of London Corporation announced that a new world-class wireless network offering gigabit speeds is to be deployed across the Square Mile, replacing the current service provided by the Cloud.
• The Telegraph reported that O2 and Vodafone are renegotiating their sharing of mobile masts in a bid to speed up rollouts and keep pace with BT’s coverage expansion plans. Their current deal has been in place since 2012.
• The Financial Times reported on criticisms by local planning officials of proposals to build radio towers taller than London’s Shard at Richborough in Kent, close to the English Channel. The masts would support faster trading speeds between London and Frankfurt.
• Cable reported that the Welsh Government is to launch a new action plan for improving mobile coverage. The plan will include the reform of planning laws to make it easier for mobile operators to build new masts and public assets will also be opened up.
• Vodafone announced that the Wortwell Bell Inn, on the outskirts of Harleston in South Norfolk, is the first community hub to receive indoor 3G coverage under Vodafone’s Community Indoor Sure Signal (CISS) programme. The femtocell initiative provides 3G mobile coverage throughout a building when connected to an existing broadband line.
• ZDnet and CCS Insight reported on Telstra’s launch of its gigabit-capable 4G mobile network in three cities in Australia.
• Ars Technica reported on AT&T’s plans to trial AirGig, a wireless technology delivered using medium-voltage power lines (more background here).
• The Telegraph reported that O2 has asked Ofcom to impose tighter restrictions on the proportion of the mobile airwaves BT can control ahead of its forthcoming auction of spectrum in the 2.3 and 3.4 GHz bands.