Broadband News & Mobile Broadband News

Mobile broadband (wireless broadband internet) is designed to be convenient, fast and reliable. However, in reality that is not always what you are presented with. In fact, many people who use a mobile broadband package notice that the connection often cuts out, is typically slower than expected and it is not overly reliable.

To help overcome this, Ofcom, the UK’s communication watchdog & regulator is consulting on a new proposal to boost mobile broadband, making it as reliable and convenient as it should be. So just what are these new proposed changes?

Freeing Up The Wireless Spectrum

The new proposal, prompted by Lord Carter’s pledge to provide broadband access of up to 2Mbps to all by 2012, focuses upon freeing up a large portion of the 900MHz wireless spectrum band.

Currently there are two 900MHz licensees involved (Vodafone & O2) and the proposal asks that they let go of up to 5MHz each that would be sold at auction.

This would mainly benefit 2G services, however there is also the potential that it will provide a far wider range of 3G services too.

Whilst both O2 and Vodafone agree that changes need to be made, they are hoping for a different solution provided by Kip Meek (the appointed independent government spectrum broker), and the other UK operators.

Discussions are underway between the operators for a possible alternative spectrum plan, with the end of April being the deadline for an alternative proposal.

Overall no matter what is decided, the main objective is to improve & extend the current range of mobile broadband services. If all goes well, by 2012 we should all be able to benefit from high speed, reliable and competitive mobile broadband packages.

Ofcom, the UK’s independent regulator and competition authority for the UK telecommunications industry has issued new proposals for delivering super-fast broadband in the UK.

The proposals which form their consultation paper – ‘Setting the right policy framework’, include ensuring competition and consumer choice in the super-fast broadband market together with removing barriers to investment.

Super-fast broadband, or next generation broadband involves using fibre optic cables rather than copper wires in order to deliver speeds of up to 100mbps.

The cost of installing fibre optic cable to every home in the UK has proved a sticking point though, with estimates ranging between £5bn and £28.8bn. This has led to questions over who will pay and whether the ISP’s can recoup their investment – all of which has caused a delay in actual implementation.

Ofcom’s latest proposals seek to address this and it looks like providers like BT and Virgin Media will be able to recoup their investment. This will be achieved by making it compulsory for consumers to switch to the new fibre optic cable network by turning off the old copper network.

Much like the current switch to digital TV, there will be a period of time where both copper and fibre optic broadband will run side by side as areas slowly migrate to the new network.

The commencement of the migration in urban areas could be as soon as 2 years time, though rural commercial roll out could prove a sticking point unless the Government agree to subsidies the broadband providers.