ip.access sees boost from 'significant' opening up of UK GSM market
Cambridge-based ip.access ltd, a developer of in-building wireless base stations, today welcomed the opening up of the UK GSM market in a way ideally suited to its low power nanoGSM picocells.
UK telecom regulator Ofcom last week provisionally awarded a 3.3MHz slice of GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) 1800 spectrum to 12 bidders for use at a maximum output power of 200mW. This power level is the standard for GSM picocells and matches the specification of ip.access nanoGSM product (pictured), the company's Mark Pittick, vice president of sales and marketing said.
The introduction of so many new players is expected to lead to a dramatic expansion in innovative in-building applications, including new solutions for fixed-mobile convergence.
The successful bidders were BT Group, Cable & Wireless UK, COLT Mobile Telecommunications, Cyberpress, FMS Solutions, Mapesbury Communications, O2 UK, Opal Telecom, PLDT UK, Shyam Telecom UK, Spring Mobil and Teleware.
Sandra Gilligan of mobile200, an industry representative body, said that with "so many new operators created as a result of Ofcom's pro-competitive auction matrix, this is a very significant moment for the wireless industry in the UK.
"Through mobile200, some of the bidders and suppliers have already begun to develop a code of practice to ensure that the frequency use can be co-ordinated efficiently, so now the new operators have a head start for the rollout of their new services."
The UK regulator has enabled a world first, auctioning a small prime piece of GSM spectrum for concurrent use in a technology neutral way. The 3.3MHz spectrum is at the top end of the GSM 1800MHz band and with most cellular handsets capable of working in this spectrum, the opportunity to offer mobile services is open wide.
New services
Ofcom said it expects the winning bidders will use the spectrum to offer new services, designed to fulfil the needs of specific customer bases, such as hospitals, university campuses; indoor users of PDAs; wireless office environments; remote deployments at oil refineries, pharmaceutical sites, small villages; hotspots in airports and, coffee shops; and museums, clubs, sports stadiums and other closed community groups.
As most of these operators will be new to mobile networks, the need to keep costs low by using existing infrastructure coupled with cost-effective backhaul solutions leads logically to the use of flexible IP-based solutions. These solutions using soft switches are capable of scaling to support the emerging services from a few pico-basestations in buildings up to multiple basestations coping with large amounts of traffic within a shopping complex or airport.
"There are a variety of products on the market for GSM networks", Ms Gilligan said, "but only a limited number offer scalability and a good fit for the various applications that will enable the new mobile operators to be successful."
Within the next few months, the mobile services landscape in the UK will have changed considerably, she said. New operators offering exciting innovative, competitive products to consumers and businesses alike will open up the market
Encouraging other countries to follow suit
Mr Pittick thanked Ofcom for responding to the input of various parties during the consultation process.
"We look forward to working with the winners to deliver new and exciting solutions, including fixed-mobile converged services," he said, "and are now working to encourage other countries with available spectrum to follow suit."
ip.access is a private company. Major shareholders include Scottish Equity Partners, Intel Capital, Rothschild Gestion and TTP Communications plc (TTC.L), from which it was spun out in 1999.
4th May 2006
