Changes to mobile broadband called for by Meek

Calls have been made recently for serious change in the way mobile operators and broadcasters are allocated spectrum by an independent broker of spectrum and advisor to a senior government minister.

Independent spectrum broker and adviser to Lord Stephen Carter, Kip Meek, has called for that way in which the airwave spectrum in the UK is allocated to mobile operators and broadcasters saying major changes were required.

With the aim of selling some of the spectrum to make high speed broadband available to all, part of this spectrum will be made available once analogue TV is switched off in 2012 under his new proposals.

The extension of 3G licences could also be made indefinite for any mobile operators who agreed to work to going beyond the 80 percent coverage for their high speed mobile broadband.

Caps on how much spectrum a mobile operator will be allowed to hold will, however, be implemented with these now proposals.

Calls for the way in which Ofcom approaches the allocation of mobile phone spectrum to be made simpler have been called for by the report.

Hopes that under these new plans universal mobile broadband speeds will be able to reach speeds of 4Mbps and speed of as much as 50Mbps will be received in the more built up areas of the country, stated Meek.

He said “This would bring the innovation and new services associated with mobile broadband to the whole of the UK and neatly complement fibre-delivered superfast broadband.”

The inclusion of these proposals in the final Digital Britain report, which is due for release at some point during the summer, will be considered by the government.

Universal broadband access, the issue of digital content rights, the deployment of next generation networks and digital radio will also be covered by Digital Britain.