Posted: 14th Jul, 2010 By: MarkJ

The rollout of future 4G ( LTE , WiMAX ) Mobile Broadband services in the UK (i.e. 800MHz and 2.6GHz), which could make fixed line ISP speeds a reality for mobile operators too and help to expand their coverage, looks to be back on track after the government hinted that related Ofcom auctions would take place in one year's time (i.e. Mid-2011).
The 800MHz radio spectrum band is currently still used for old analogue Television (TV) signals, which are slowly being switched off; a process that should soon be completed. This will free the spectrum up for use by Mobile Broadband operators, offering significant coverage and cost improvements.
The European Commission (EC) said during May 2010 that it strongly supports the use of the 800MHz band for electronic communication services and wants EU countries to act quickly. It's estimated that the spectrum could give an economic boost of up to £38bn to Europe's economy and help to achieve the EU 2020 Strategy target of high-speed broadband for all by the end of 2013.
That goal, which is shared by the UK's Universal Service Commitment (USC) to make a minimum broadband speed of 2Mbps available to everybody in the country by 2012, now looks increasingly unstable.
Legal challenges by mobile operators, which all hold differing amounts of spectrum in various bands, and the recent general election have all conspired to stall the process. The reality is that, once auctions are underway and the usual parliamentary processes completed, we will most likely find ourselves in 2013.
Similarly the new government has yet to fully tackle the thorny problem of spectrum re-farming, which could see older 900MHz and 1800MHz bands - currently used for 2G voice communications - being adjusted for use with 3G Mobile Broadband services. Presently 900Mhz is only owned and used by O2 and Vodafone and they still don't like the idea of having to share it.
However T-Mobile and Orange were recently forced to give up a significant amount of their 1800MHz spectrum when the two UK mobile operators merged earlier this year; though that will not solve all of the problems.
The governments Ed Vaizey (MP) - Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, with joint responsibility as a Minister in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) - is expected to outline the coalitions approach at the end of this month.