Ofcom to see 3G Reception improved in Rural Areas

The telecommunications regulator of the United Kingdom, Ofcom has recently allowed the operators of the mobile networks in the country to repurpose the radio spectrum owned by them for mobile broadband services, with a view to improving the 3G broadband reception for the consumers in the rural areas of the country.

Alternatively, the watchdog has also resolved an argument that had been going on for three years between the network operators seriously impacting the development and growth of fast wireless internet networks, on its course. The factor that resolved the argument finally has been a ruling by the regulator that the refarming of the 900MHz and 1800MHz spectrum would hardly damage competition in the mobile marketplace of the United Kingdom.

A further boost in the mobile broadband speeds as well as an influx of several billion pounds to the government’s coffers are very much on cards with the findings of the regulator expectedly opening up the spectrum freed by the switchover from analogue TV to digital TV for auction.

Until recently, the custodians of most of the 1800MHz and 900MHz spectrums, Everything Everywhere (merged operations of Orange and T-Mobile in the UK), and O2 and Vodafone repectively had only been allowed to use their allocated spectrum for offering 2G mobile services. Although, the 2100MHz spectrum is used by the current 3G broadband networks in the country, the lower frequency 900MHz spectrum would be useful in providing 3G coverage inside buildings as well as over greater distances.

Another significant benefit of the refarming of the 2G spectrum for 3G services is its alleviating the profound strain placed on most mobile networks by the massive take up of mobile data devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops.

Comments are closed.