WiMAX As Opposed to 3G Wireless for UK Local Authorities

Europe : Local Authorities across the UK have just over Three weeks to potentially determine whether they wish to create citizen-owned wireless networks - potentially eliminating inner and inter-city mobile call costs through the use of wireless VoIP - as opposed to allowing the major mobile network operators to dictate their future, according to UK-based Metranet Communications which is responsible for the UK’s first city-wide Intranet.

A major area of the radio spectrum (2500-2690MHz) is due to be released by 1st January 2008. The area to be released is 190MHz wide, and therefore considerably wider than that allocated to 3G networks, which was 140MHz wide.

At present, the most probable course of events will be for the mobile network operators (MNOs) across Europe to look to this newly released area of the spectrum to bolster their existing licenses. It is likely that this would go through an auction process - the UK government raised more than £22.5Billion in the previous auction for 3G licenses. The deadline for response from any party to this consultancy is 22nd of August 2005 (nb, see: *)

Specifically, Metranet is looking to raise the profile of a socially-minded alternative to network operator-owned license arrangements, strongly encouraging local authorities across Europe to opt-out of this process and build their own infrastructures based on the considerably more lightly powered protocol of WiMAX as opposed to 3G. (nb - At present, the protocol is specifically known as 802.16-2004, or ‘pre-WiMAX’. The roaming 802.16e protocol – WiMAX - is due for release by Q4 2006).

Roger Horlock, Director, Metranet Communications, commented:
“The next four weeks represents a unique opportunity for local authorities to take a major side-step from the ‘accepted wisdom’ of giving licences to MNOs and to consider taking a socially minded approach to the development of telecoms in their area, particularly given that the likely license fee for the purchase of this new area of spectrum will most likely be passed back to the consumer at some point.”

Whilst the MNOs might insist that any commercial use of such a network is restricted by anti-competitive laws, wireless VoIP would potentially allow local authorities to eliminate inter-city mobile call costs. Providing this and other data services could significantly benefit local authorities across the country. Such a system is wholly realisable and is based on a technology that has already been implemented in Brighton, which is host to the UK’s first functioning pre-WiMAX network and the only one in the world to bridge public sector, commercial and educational organisations.

Working with Brighton & Hove City Council and The University of Sussex, Metranet recently unveiled wireless broadband connectivity to thousands of students in the area, including primary schools and off-campus student residences, where it was neither efficient nor cost effective to lay leased lines.

Amongst other benefits, the Brighton Metranet delivers synchronous / symmetrical bandwidth, essential for: hosting, peer-to-peer (P2P) applications such as www.skype.com, true VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol / “packetised voice”), and video-conferencing. In partnership with Sabre Telecommunications, the Brighton Metranet is the first WiMAX network in Europe to offer true VoIP services, thereby both eliminating internal phone bills and reducing the cost of national calls to the price of a local call. This project marked the first technical collaboration between The University of Sussex and Brighton & Hove City Council in the history of the two organisations.

Bill Parslow, the Brighton and Hove City Council’s Head of ICT & E-Government, said:
“Metranet Communications presented us with a real opportunity to solve key issues of internet connectivity to schools in areas difficult to reach with conventional broadband technologies through the use of WiMAX technology. This has saved the people of Brighton & Hove a considerable amount of money whilst offering the potential for the strategic ability to connect mobile workers to the Council’s infrastructure in the future”

Roger Horlock, added:
“The launch of the metranet exemplifies the unique opportunity that now exists for every local authority in the UK to build their own bespoke wireless infrastructures, bridging the digital divide and providing ubiquitous internet access to areas which were previously unreachable.”