Posted: 09th Jan, 2004 By: MarkJ
BT has cautioned that local community broadband wireless projects based on the newly release 5.8Ghz spectrum will need government or ISP support if they're to succeed. Lack of help could keep prices up, making it hard to compete with land-based (ADSL etc.) rivals:
The 5.8GHz spectrum range is claimed to offer significant benefits to people and businesses in remote areas, as it can transmit over distances of 17 to 18 kilometres, compared to the five to six kilometers covered by the 2.4GHz spectrum.
But BT says that local government and Regional Development Agencies in remote areas will have to partner with internet service providers to cover the cost of rolling out this option.
"If not, network operators and ISPs will not be able to roll these services out and make them commercially viable as they can't charge end users prices that are higher than DSL," said a BT spokesman.As previously reported, BT is currently running its own trials of the technology in Ballingry, Pwllheli, Porthleven and Campsie. More @
VNUNet.