Band Sharing Forum exploits MoD secrets

Wireless equipment vendors unite to accelerate wireless spectrum sharing

A group of wireless equipment vendors is hoping to open up government-restricted wireless spectrum, with previously unavailable frequencies in the 2.4-3.4GHz band earmarked for fixed and mobile wireless broadband services.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) currently control access to more than 40 percent of high bandwidth radio spectrum with varying levels of utilisation, said Antony Abell, chairman of the newly formed Band Sharing Forum.

“Defence of the realm comes first, but the government also sees the spectrum it has as a [financial] asset, while freeing it up also has beneficial effects for the economy,” he said.

Abell would not comment on exactly what sort of services the spectrum could be utilised for, but said that the key thing about the forum was that it would speed up trials of appropriate technology prior to launching commercial services, though the regulatory timetable was up to Ofcom. Some of the technology being researched and developed will encompass MoD communications equipment.

“User scenarios have not been defined yet, but it is going to allow greater access to spectrum that has previously been unavailable, and meet increasing demand for [enterprise] communications purposes,” said Abell.

The Band Sharing Forum is a not-for-profit, private sector funded organisation whose founding members are ERA Technology, Roke Manor Research, QinetiQ and LastMile Communications. Its membership is open to network operators, service providers, equipment vendors and other interested parties.