ComReg warns network congestion will impede wireless future

bealtine

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/24635-comreg-warns-network/

Radio spectrum is worth €3.6bn (or 2pc of GDP) to the Irish economy, employing 26,000 people. With wireless technology central to the future of the economy and society, ComReg has decided that a market-based approach to regulating spectrum will be essential.

ComReg today published its radio spectrum strategy, which impacts not only on mobile phone and TV services but also essential functions like communications by police, fire and ambulance services.

ComReg warned that as consumer demand for wireless services like broadband and rich media increase, the risk of network congestion increases and this risk requires the release and refarming of additional spectrum along with investment by operators.

It says the ideal solution involves further investment in wireless backhaul, as well as the continued use of microwave links.

Improvements in radio technology will be essential, such as the evolution from HSPA to HSPA+ and LTE and the use of “white spaces.” However, growth in machine-to-machine (M2M) and RFID applications will add pressure to limited spectrum resources.

The most sought after spectrum bands are 800, 900, 1800, 2600 and 3600MHz.

ComReg said a “market-based” approach to spectrum management will lead to more efficient spectrum usage, especially combined with policy decisions regarding spectrum sharing, infrastructure/network sharing and spectrum trading.

John Kenned

watty

Idiots.

With universal fibre there would not be a huge increase in demand.

"HSPA to HSPA+ and LTE" --- Adds about 2% capacity. x3 More masts adds 200% more capacity.

"White space" --- Almost pointless to most people. Extremely Niche licence free (= you can't complain if interference from other users) point to point.

3,600MHz (3.6GHz) Should be FIXED only. Ban mobile / Nomadic on it and you get about x8 to x12 more capacity.

2,600Mhz has MMDS due to historic Stupidity. Comreg appear to have decided it should be refarmed as Mobile. Good.

What about the massive under utilised 2,300MHz Eircom sits on?

1,800 MHz. Make existing licence holders use it properly or take it off them and refarm it as State owned RAN sold wholesale to Operators.

Make Each Band a single Wholesale RAN. That almost doubles the effective capacity. More than in some case.

Mandate a minimum number of base stations depending on band and local population density. That completely solves any remaining capacity issues, but only if Single RAN per band.

Combine 800 & 900 as duplex single band with some areas reserved for Fixed Wireless and single RAN with one wholesale operator OBLIGED to do the 100% coverage in Fixed Wireless areas.


A "market based" approach is proven to maximise Licence Revenue, fragment the bands, ensure lowest cost User Roll out wins (favours cheapest terminal Mobile), minimal number of masts, poorest Infrastructure, eventual asset stripping by later leveraged buy outs and Worst outcome for national Economy (maximum revenue flow abroad and to Comreg) and worst outcome for Consumer.

The people deciding these policies are wasting irreplaceable national resources for a generation.

A "market based approach" is 100% incompatible with "spectrum sharing, infrastructure/network sharing"
"Spectrum Trading" raises costs and increases Asset Stripping risks. With real "spectrum sharing, infrastructure/network sharing" there is a RAN with single Wholesale operator, one user of Spectrum (the most efficient scheme) and 100% "infrastructure/network sharing" apart from back office systems of Retailers.

RFIDs are irrelevant as they already have bands internationally and should be less than 2m range (shorter the better). They create no additional Spectrum Demand.

There is no big "growth in machine-to-machine (M2M)" unless smart metering is done stupendously stupidly. Road user M2M uses > 12GHz and has no shortage of spectrum at all.

I'd love to see a breakdown of these 26,000 people and where they are based and how many are in pointless sales/marketing trying to sell services consumers don't want. Most users want a connection. Nothing else from ISP or Mobile Operators. But look at O2's home page.

MANSFIELD

watty wrote: »

Idiots.

2,600Mhz has MMDS due to historic Stupidity. Comreg appear to have decided it should be refarmed as Mobile. Good.

I currently recieve my tv channels by MMDS .does this mean MMDS is being shut down?

If MMDS is being shut down when will this happen?

watty

yes.
We don't know.

Why are you paying for MMDS? Just for Sky Sport? Most of the better MMDS channels are Free on Satellite (which is only slightly larger dish than MMDS and hugely better quality).

Of course if you do want Sky Sport Sky sell that on Satellite.

I'm just curious.


Also is the ex Chorus UPC MMDS or ex NTL UPC MMDS (quite different systems)?

Opinicus

Interesting. I'm currently on ex Chorus MMDS in Kerry. Will this be effected also? Do they give any timeline when they will be doing this? This is all tied in with the freeing up of spectra after analogue to Digital transmission for TV a la Saorview, correct?

MANSFIELD

watty wrote: »

yes.

Does yes mean MMDS is being shut down?

We don't know.

Is it going in the next few months ?

Why are you paying for MMDS? Just for Sky Sport? Most of the better MMDS channels are Free on Satellite (which is only slightly larger dish than MMDS and hugely better quality).

Of course if you do want Sky Sport Sky sell that on Satellite.

I'm just curious.

To get sky sports and movies; discovery ect .Im very happy with this system so why should i change over to anything else , but if MMDS is going off i guess i will have to

Also is the ex Chorus UPC MMDS or ex NTL UPC MMDS (quite different systems)?

Im on exChorus UPC - does that make a differance or is both ex Chorus UPC MMDS and ex NTL UPC MMDS going off air?

watty

yes both are. The ex-Chorus MMDS is particularly poor.
You'll get far better quality and a free PVR from Sky, more channels at similar cost. UPC can't supply PVR for ex-Chorus areas.

However Pay TV is only worth it at all if you must have Sky Sports as there are so many Free UK satellite channels, so many repeats on Discovery etc and DVDs/BD are better value than Movie channels.


The MMDS will close on ALL of Ireland, both ex-Chorus and ex-NTL areas. It's nothing to do with Digital TV or Analogue TV closure but the fact that the system should never have been authorised on those frequencies which are reserved on all of Europe for LTE or WiMax. Ireland is the ONLY European country using that band for MMDS.

Also it's no use to UPC as they can't do HD, Broadband, VOD/IPTV or Phone service on the MMDS.