Sale of 4G phone licenses could raise €260 million for Irish government

It seems like news about 4G technology is everywhere nowadays, and that can only mean good things. Here’s a quick rundown on what 4G is: it’s actually coined as such because it’s the fourth generation of wireless services standards that enables high mobility communication with speeds running at a minimum of 100 Mbit/s. It brings areas fitted with the technology a step closer to achieving superfast broadband speeds–and while it might not be true in all cases, faster is better when it comes to broadband. To prove that point, a study conducted by Ericsson found that doubling broadband speeds in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries could add billions of dollars to the national GDP.

Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are actually deploying new services and introducing upgrades to slowly move on to 4G technology. It was indeed a huge setback when the Ofcom postponed the 4G spectrum auction, the industry as a whole is still moving on forward. Just last week, BT Broadband finished rolling out fibre in Derry, making it the first city in Ireland and the UK to have all of its street cabinets upgraded with the latest broadband technology. BT Broadband also teamed up with Everything Everywhere to begin a 4G mobile broadband trial in Cornwall that will be completed by next year.

There’s no denying that 4G technology is where the money is, not only in the UK, but in Ireland and in every other country in the world today. The Irish government has been under pressure lately from the EU and the IMF to begin putting some of the state’s assets for sale, one of these being the 4G phone licenses that could rake in €260 million. Industry analysts peg the value of Ireland’s 4G licenses between €180 to €260 million; these licenses are the gateway to rolling out the next generation of smartphones and devices, including the latest iPhone 4S and other Android-powered handsets.

The auction for the licenses was originally set for this year’s end, but was postponed to sometime in the first quarter of next year, although no exact date has been set yet. Many service providers are concerned about the delays, with 3 Ireland stating: “We’re calling on ComReg for the earliest possible auction. It is critical that this auction is not delayed any further to ensure Ireland remains competitive and continues to attract investment.”

Source – The Independent