Broadband fixed access seems to be the flavour of the month for telecoms regulator Ofcom. It is now proposing to increase substantially the opportunities for broadband fixed wireless services, by opening the 71-76GHz and 81-86GHz bands for licensed use.

Last month, Ofcom announced plans to auction next year frequency spectrum at 1452-1492MHz for services such as mobile TV, broadband wireless access and satellite digital radio.
 
The attraction is that these higher spectrum bands are not used by any other commercial service. The downside is that the microwave transmission technology required to operate at thee frequencies may not be as cost effective a lower frequency RF technology commonly used for mobile comms.

So applications for the new bands will be higher cost high capacity systems such as point-to-point wireless networks, which could potentially be used as alternatives to fibre optic cable.  Possible data speeds range from 1Gbit/s to 10Gbit/s over distances of 1-2 km.

In comparison, copper loops typically enable connection speeds of between 1 and 24Mbit/s.

Interestingly, Ofcom proposes to adopt what it terms “a flexible, light licensing approach” to making this spectrum available. This probably means that it does not expect a rush from potential operators.
 
“Demand for the spectrum is therefore very unlikely to exceed supply,” said Ofcom.

Ofcom is proposing that the band should be licensed on a first come, first served basis, rather than auctioned, as the band’s unusual properties – high bandwidth, narrow beam – mean that a very large number of users could co-exist without interference.

The consultation runs until 2 August 2006.