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Mobile broadband improvements could be delayed due to competition concerns within the sector, as Vodafone and O2 look to take action against the proposed terms of the Orange and T-Mobile merger.
With T-Mobile and Orange due to merge, their union is subject to some terms – including the requirement that the new combined company should sell off part of its spectrum at the 1,800 MHz range.
The network operators agreed to do so on the premise that the 15 MHz divesture should go to a single bidder.
However, O2 and Vodafone have complained that this places an unfair limitation on the transaction – and that the spectrum should be available for purchase on more flexible terms.
The pair argue that fair allocation of the frequency spectrum is a “vital” component of ensuring healthy competition within the sector.
With respect to mobile broadband, the row could put a halt – albeit temporary – to the adoption of fourth-generation wireless internet capabilities.
Last week, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills reported that it had instructed the Office of Communications to implement the “spectrum modernisation programme” that forms part of the Digital Britain strategy.
This aims to deploy next-generation mobile technology earlier and to release additional space within the electromagnetic spectrum in order to support these enhancements.
But with the 1,800 MHz band a core component of fourth-generation mobile services, the argument relating to the T-Mobile and Orange merger – and the reallocation of the two firms’ spectrum – may yet delay proceedings as the companies and their regulatory bodies seek to safeguard competition and fair dealings across the mobile telecommunications industry.
Dublin, Thursday 29th May 2008: 3, Ireland’s mobile media network, has selected BT to build and manage its network infrastructure up to 2011 in a deal worth €44m. BT will enhance 3’s market leading mobile broadband network, with over 70,000 Irish mobile broadband subscribers already being serviced on the 3 network.
The contract stipulates that BT will deliver the backhaul to support 7.2Mbps industry standard technology later this year rising to 14.4Mbps in 2009.
“3 has made great inroads in the broadband market through constant innovation on price and deploying the best mobile technologies. As the leading provider in the Irish mobile broadband market with more customers using 3’s network than any other, we’re delighted to be driving Ireland up the broadband league tables. This new agreement with BT will help us progress even further.” said Robert Finnegan, Managing Director of 3.
“What we are able to bring to the table is the backhaul infrastructure capability and first class project management skills. We have the size and scale to deliver a project of this magnitude,” said Chris Clark, CEO, BT.
The key piece of the contract is the provision of Managed Bandwidth Transmission services, whereby BT links by microwave to 3’s transmission sites around the country, then backhauls all the traffic over BT’s fibre optic network to 3’s Irish Datacentre.
BT’s network provides 3 with the fibre optic capability and resilience to support 14.4Mbs technology in the short-term, and the knowledge that BT will be ready to deliver up to 16Mbps when required, meeting the needs of the operator’s long-term roadmap.
Following on from a 2003 contract – when BT was chosen to build the operator’s 3G access network – the new win sees a significant extension to an evolving partnership. In addition to supporting faster speeds, BT Ireland will provide full operation and maintenance services. Field engineering staff will be on call to fix any faults on 3’s national infrastructure.
BT will also extend the number of 3 cell sites to 770 in Ireland. When the operator builds out its network BT is charged with full project management duties, from radio planning that ensures new sites meet the technical criteria for optimum coverage, to securing the physical location and dealing with any planning issues or shared site agreements that may arise. With all the planning paperwork in place, BT project manages the sub-contractors during site construction.
“It is an end-to-end service, that demonstrates the capability of BT,” commented Chris Clark. “We are delighted to be central to the plans of a Tier One 3G operator at such an exciting time in mobile communications.”
For anyone that uses a mobile phone or a laptop, 4G broadband is set to offer you speed of up to 100 MBps. What this does is truly makes us the “I Want It Now” generation as we can receive just about anything in a flash. Think about downloading music, software, or anything else you desire at speeds of 100MBps you will have your download in seconds. The same goes for uploading photos to your website or uploading items to share with others.
4g broadband offers real mobile broadband with excellent user experience including the flexibility that mobile broadband offers for accessing your laptop from any location. 4G mobile broadband offers lower total cost, allows for more personalized services, and improved performance. All 4G networks are IP-based and offer fewer nodes to manage. The benefit of the 4G network is truly offering the consumer the best mobile broadband for personal use. This technology allows service providers a cost-effective way to set up the newest technologies and services while redefining your experience by making it the best it can possibly be.
4G will be utilizing a new innovative radio technology that is centered on adding information on small and costly air waves. The technology offers high spectral organization that is only made possible with a 4G air interface technology. This concept may be very hard to believe but the truth of the matter is that 4G mobile broadband is the best mobile broadband alternative to wired broadband technologies such as cable and DSL. 4g broadband promises a very noticeable change in the speed, which is extremely higher than the current 3G technology.
4G is certainly going to cause a commotion and have eyebrows raised as more individuals and businesses will be turning to this new technology. This will in fact help all that have bandwidth hungry applications they must use and even those that offer real time services. With the speeds of the 4G network, you will be able to enjoy so much more than you have in the past and the best thing is you can find the best mobile broadband and truly enjoy not only the 4g broadband technology, but also the awesome phones and laptops that will be using the technology.
UK mobile broadband operators are notorious amongst consumers for causing nasty “bill shocks” that result in huge broadband bills being owed as a result of mobile broadband use abroad.
However, there are ways to use mobile broadband abroad without running up thousands of pounds of bills. Orange, T-mobile and Virgin are amongst the mobile broadband providers who have cheaper roaming data bundles with their mobile broadband deals, for example.
These roaming data bundles normally cover major European countries but sometimes fail to cover parts of Eastern Europe so it’s important to read the small print before taking them out.
Here are a few examples of mobile broadband roaming bundles.
Orange mobile broadband customers who roam in Europe can use their mobile broadband at a daily rate of 2 euros for 2MB.
If they don’t opt into this daily bundle, the operator charges its customers £3 per megabyte for data roaming in Europe – adding up to a whopping £3000 for a gigabyte.
The 2 Euro bundle should help customers avoid “bill shock” – a term that refers to the surprise experienced by those opening bills that detail unexpected levels of charges.
In the past, mobile broadband providers have caused users to run up huge bills.
Recently, a student on an internship in France ran up a mobile broadband bill of £8,000, for example. In order to have internet access there, he had an Orange mobile broadband pay monthly 3GB contract.
After a month of usage, he received a shocker in the guise of £6,101.56 worth of internet bill. After calling the company to block the dongle, he was again hit by a further charge of £1,547.21, which covered the cost of the dongle use between the bill date and the date on which the dongle was blocked.
Orange’s new rates should put an end to these kind of bills, providing that consumers are aware of them.
Orange’s competition comes in the form of Virgin Media’s “Travel Passes” for European Mobile Broadband and Internet roaming. These claim to offer a more affordable solution for customers who would still like to go online when travelling outside of the UK.
Four different types of the passes have been created by the provider, with each offering a data allowance which is available for a limited amount of time.
Customers can get hold of a one-day pass offering 10MB of data for £10, while a three-day alternative offers 15MB for £15. Seven-day access is available at £30 for 30MB, while a 30-day pass offers 60MB for £60.
While the prices from both providers are a welcome improvement, roaming data usage in general still remains costly for everything except the most basic of webpage and email usage.
It will unfortunately be some years yet before the kind of GigaByte usage allowances that we see with local UK Mobile Broadband packages are plausible for European roaming.
The mobile network leaders Orange have the iPhone available now FREE of charge to customers taking a contracts, just click on the link below to find out more about this fabulous deal. Apple and Orange have joined forces to give you this special phone on the best network of all, the best thing about this offer/deal is the iPhone 3Gs is free of charge and the tariffs are better value than O2. For the best iPhone offer visit Orange.co.uk/iPhone online. From just £29.36 you can get mobile with Orange and Apple with the 3Gs, this gives you a FREE phone plus 150 minutes of cross network calls, 250 texts and unlimited internet and emails, you just can’t go wrong.
