July 12, 2004
Technology in Focus features analysis of recent technology news articles, by the consultants in Technology Group, IDA. This is the top pick of the month from a list of 10-20 news analysis compiled monthly.
New Wireless Band Plays For Bigger Broadband,10 June 2004
by Yong Kuan Loong, NWT Consultant
Wireless broadband access in the US now goes by the moniker "Broadband Radio Service (BRS)" and is poised for a sharp revival. Since the FCC released its Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) and Memorandum Opinion and Order in April last year to revamp the 2.5GHz band, the progress of the US wireless broadband industry has ground to a halt. Now that the FCC has come to a decision, the gears of the industry can finally turn once more.
In a move that overshadows the FCCs decision in 1998 to allow the 2.5GHz band to be used for two-way digital communications, the commission is now considering a proposal to re-channel the entire 2496-2690MHz swath of spectrum - currently shared by educational broadcasters and wireless operators - and introduce a new 5.5MHz channel size. The latter decision, mooted primarily by the WCA, affects equipment vendors greatly, which will have to redesign their radios to work within the revised band plan. Furthermore, until the FCC reached a decision just last month, all license applications to install or modify 2.5GHz base stations had been frozen. Because of the uncertainty brought about by the FCC's NPRM, the WiMAX Forum de-prioritize interoperability testing for 2.5GHz systems and focused its attention on the 3.5GHz band, which is available in most countries outside of the US, and for which the ITU has recommended a standard channelization plan.
The one year of suspended animation is perhaps a small price to pay in exchange for a more optimal band plan that allows broadcasters and wireless operators to coexist with less interference, and for more flexible, geographic area licensing rules that eliminate the need to apply for a licence each time an operator needs to add a new base station or modify an existing one. While the full text of the ruling will probably not be available until August or later, it is clear from the FCC's news release that many of the proposals put forth by the wireless industry have been adopted. The WCA declares the FCC's ruling "a major victory for WCA and [its] members."
We wait in eager anticipation for the three largest 2.5GHz spectrum holders in the US - Nextel, Sprint and BellSouth - to announce their BRS plans. Sprint has been trialing 2.5GHz equipment for about a year now, while Nextel paid USD144M for the 2.5GHz spectrum that WorldCom put up for sale in bankruptcy court in early 2003. Smaller players such as Clearwire and CommSpeed are revving up their engines too. The next few months will be an exciting time for wireless broadband indeed, not only in the US but also in Singapore, where the IDA has announced that it will make spectrum in 2.3GHz and 2.5GHz available for BRS.
Some words about the writer
Yong Kuan Loong is a consultant with the Technology Group, tasked with the responsibility of identifying and driving the adoption of emerging telecommunication technologies in Singapore. He specializes in a wide range of wireless technologies, including free-space optics, ultra-wideband, broadband wireless access and mobile ad hoc networking.
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