ComReg receive applications from 12 companies for 3.5 GHz wireless spectrum

zz03

http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/PR160903.pdf

List of Applicants for FWALA 3.5 GHz Licences (First Phase)

Budget Wireless Ltd
Chorus Communication Ltd
Digiweb Ltd
European Access Providers Ltd
Fulnett Ltd
High Speed Data Solutions Ltd
Irish Broadband Internet Services Ltd
Last Mile Ltd
Mid West Network Solutions Ltd
Net2Cell Ltd
Real Broadband Ltd
Titan Consultancy Ltd

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Boston

isn't that the spectrum Ripwave would have to use?

zz03

Originally posted by Boston
isn't that the spectrum Ripwave would have to use?

It is the spectrum RipWave could use. I see that IBB have an application in. They can also use other frequencies.

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bk

Yes, this is great news, hopefully we will see real, good products come from this.

Interestingly they where 128 applications, so at least some of these companies made multiple applications for different areas I assume.

spongebob

Originally posted by zz03
List of Applicants for FWALA 3.5 GHz Licences (First Phase)
Budget Wireless Ltd
Chorus Communication Ltd
Digiweb Ltd
European Access Providers Ltd
Fulnett Ltd
High Speed Data Solutions Ltd
Irish Broadband Internet Services Ltd
Last Mile Ltd
Mid West Network Solutions Ltd
Net2Cell Ltd
Real Broadband Ltd
Titan Consultancy Ltd

Some of those who expressed interest in March never followed through, NTL come to Mind.

EAP is Leap
Chorus are applying for their 'own' frequencies that they only used in Limerick.
IBB need spectrum, they have none.
Last Mile are in Athlone.
Net2Cell is Brent Smith
Titan is the South West Regional Authority ......
Real Broadband is Ed Diggen , Kingdom Computer in Tralee (I suspect)

Of these only EAP and IBB are likely to go nationwide or anthing like it.

M

zz03

Originally posted by bk
Yes, this is great news, hopefully we will see real, good products come from this.

I'm encouraged by the fact that most of the applicants are not from a telco background. Telcoists encounter great mental anxiety when it comes to delivering Moore’s Law type price performance improvements downstream to their customers. We need one or two disruptive forces to enter the market.

With Hibernian Atlantic now delivering 10 Mbits/sec circuits from the US to Ireland for $1,000 per month there is no excuse for slow (512k) heavily contented (40:1) DSL costing almost €60 per month.

Non telcos are the only hope the country has to break the “mould”.

zz..

Link: Hibernian Atlantic Price List

zz03

Originally posted by Muck
Some of those who expressed interest in March never followed through, NTL come to Mind.

EAP is Leap
Chorus are applying for their 'own' frequencies that they only used in Limerick.
IBB need spectrum, they have none.
Last Mile are in Athlone.
Net2Cell is Brent Smith
Titan is the South West Regional Authority ......
Real Broadband is Ed Diggen , Kingdom Computer in Tralee (I suspect)

Of these only EAP and IBB are likely to go nationwide or anthing like it.

We don't need 12 entities slogging it out nationwide to create a competitive market do we? It would be like the 118 directory assistance mess in England right now.

We do need enough regional pockets of competition to force eircom to address the BB market seriously in terms of availability and pricing.

The initial roll out of co-location boxes near eircom COs could be selectively focused in areas that are being ignored to date (eg Ballinlough/Hettyfield!).

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bk

Originally posted by zz03
I'm encouraged by the fact that most of the applicants are not from a telco background.

I believe it was a requirement of the license that the applicant was not an existing telco license holder, same as the MAN project

bk

Originally posted by zz03
We don't need 12 entities slogging it out nationwide to create a competitive market do we? It would be like the 118 directory assistance mess in England right now.

We do need enough regional pockets of competition to force eircom to address the BB market seriously in terms of availability and pricing.

Each license is only for a 15km area with no over lap between license holders. So no you won't have 12 entities slogging it out nationwide to create a competitive market.

However I'm sure at least IBB and Leap and probably others applied for licenses in the same high population urban areas. However it will only be awarded to the best entry, per 15 km area.

Does anyone know when we will hear the winners of the first phase?

spongebob

A cell (area in Comreg licence speak) can actually be 30km across. You can have one main tower and smaller boosters to get you to the limit.

Dublin has been divided into 3 areas.

zz03

Originally posted by bk
I believe it was a requirement of the license that the applicant was not an existing telco license holder, same as the MAN project

I did say "most" of the applicants - I for one would put chorus in the same bag as eircom and bt. The bag marked spectrum do nothing hoggers and broadband bastards generally - ie a classic telco.

While I don't like dumping at sea on environmental grounds, and I have no doubt that a lot of slime would ooze out of this bag causing widespread pollution, there is bound to be some third world country that would let one dump the bag off their continental shelf in return for a few shillings. Money well spent I would have thought

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spongebob

There were 128 applications

Each was for an area of around 700 Km2 (pi*15x15)

Thats 90,500 Km2 where the area of the state is about 70,000Km2. The state was geographically oversubscibed by 28% or so by my reckoning.

The average applicant punted in 10.66 applications (128/12)

As many applicants were small, we can infer that some applicants (2 or 3 probably including IBB and Leap) applied for 25 licences or 17,500 Km2 which would give them 25% National Coverage Within a Year if they got all the licences they asked for. I am not sure if they must provide universal coverage in their zones , that could make for some fun and games later this year.

I still suspect that Ballydehob and Belmullet did not make it in....this time. Round 2 later this year, sharpen dem twigs.

M

bk

25% coverage by next year.

I hope Ericom are scared

MDR

Move this thread to 'Market Policy Issues' please.

LFCFan

Originally posted by Muck
Dublin has been divided into 3 areas.

That would be Dublin South, Dublin South West and Dublin South East then would it :rolleyes:

Mr_Man

Is there anyway of finding out who applied for which areas ?

M.