Britain’s Ofcom ushers in prospects for ‘white space’ mobile broadband

New consultation aims to increase capacity without wrecking digital TV signals

UK regulator, Ofcom, has signalled that new City-wide Wi-Fi networks using ‘white spaces’ (the gaps in between bands of spectrum used to broadcast TV) could be up and running by Q1 2014. The announcement comes as Ofcom tries to avert a nationwide ‘capacity crunch’  and follows its own recent research revealing how Britain will need 80 times more airwave space in around 18 years (2030) than is currently needed.The research also concluded that more than twice the amount of data (20 million GB) is now being consumed over the UK’s mobile networks compared to last year (9 million GB), a growth largely driven by the soaring use of smartphones and tablets.

In response to the growing problem the regulator has announced plans to open up as much of the airwaves as possible, opening a consultation that places the first white-space spectrum in the UHF TV bands 470 MHz to 790 MHz.

Ofcom also recognises that sub-1GHz spectrum as having better reach and building penetration than that above, making it a particularly attractive proposition for mobile networking.

[One reason why Vodafone keeps stressing that the 800 MHz version of 4G/LTE it hopes to offer next year [2013] is better indoors than EE’s 1800 MHz network.]

At the frequencies where white spaces exist, signals can also travel more easily than traditional Wi-Fi or Bluetooth networks, raising the possibility of wireless internet networks on a much bigger scale than at present.

Announcing the initiative Ofcom CEO Ed Richards declared that white space technology offered ‘significant opportunities’ for innovation and enterprise, from rural broadband to enhanced Wi-fi.

He added, “It also represents a fundamentally different approach to using spectrum by searching and recycling unused gaps in the airwaves.”

“This could prove critical in averting a global spectrum capacity crunch as consumers demand more bandwidth over different devices.”

Richards also claimed the framework would ensure signal interference to existing digital TV users would be minimal.

The consultation is now open until mid-January. When it closes the regulator will liaise with European authorities and finalise arrangements.

Britain’s BT is already trialling white space technology across rural parts of Cornwall.