Wireless ISP Scot-Tel-Gould Prep 6GHz Broadband Trial in Aberdeen

Broadband provider Scot-Tel-Gould, which operates a limited Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network across remote rural parts of Moray and Aberdeenshire in Scotland, is preparing to use a trial licence from Ofcom to test a new 1.6Gbps speed ngFWA wireless internet service – based on kit from Tarana Wireless – using the 6GHz radio spectrum band.

According to the press release, the provider plans to deploy Tarana’s Gigabit 1 (G1) platform in the Aberdeen area, which uses their new 6GHz Base Nodes (BNs) and a four-carrier mode (4 x 40MHz) via an Ofcom experimental license. The approach reflects Ofcom’s recent decision to share access to the 6GHz radio spectrum band (here), which requires FWA providers to adopt a new Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) database to avoid causing interference for other users (e.g. indoor Wi-Fi, Mobile etc.).

The move effectively unlocks the full 1200MHz spectrum frequency of the band for expanded Wi-Fi and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), but this is not yet fully ready for prime time and so early services can currently only be conducted under an experimental license. Apparently Tarana’s implementation should be “capable of delivering” speeds of 1.6Gbps per wireless link, although that will of course vary by distance, power and capacity.

Tarana’s G1 is already certified for commercial 6GHz operation using AFC in the United States and Canada, which should help when it comes to implementing similar services in the UK. Scot-Tel-Gould is already using Tarana’s technology through the Huntly 5G Project, which began connecting homes around Huntly, Aberdeenshire, in June 2025 – this is funded by the Aberdeen City Region Deal and delivered by the Scottish Agricultural Organization Society (SAOS).

Georgi Hristov, Technical Director at Scot-Tel-Gould, said:

“Having seen what Tarana’s technology can achieve through the Huntly 5G Project, this trial represents an important next stage in our work together. Trialing G1’s four-carrier mode in the 6 GHz band will allow us to test its capabilities under real network conditions in Scotland. It is an opportunity to generate practical evidence that can help shape the commercial use of this spectrum and demonstrate its potential for fixed wireless operators across the UK.”

The broadband provider’s existing packages are currently priced from £30 per month for symmetric speeds of 20Mbps on 12-month contract with unlimited data (FUP), which rises to £54 per month if you want 100Mbps (50Mbps upload). But they don’t provide any pricing for their 1Gbps packages and it’s unclear how much the installation would cost (upfront fees are usually required by the rules to be made visible on broadband packages).