Ofcom offers more spectrum
PrintAuction ahoy
Posted in Networks, 11th December 2007 09:55 GMT
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Another week, another spectrum auction. This time, Ofcom is parcelling up 16 lots of 1.7 MHz each in the 1452-1479.5 MHz band, and one prize chunk of 12.5 MHz in the same band.
The details are here.
The licenses run for 15 years, and are tradeable.
Last week, Ofcom announced the availability of super-high frequency microwave spectrum, as well as floating the idea of making more unlicensed spectrum available.
But who'll use it, and for what? The spectrum has been touted for use by dedicated data services, but the problem is dedicated data is a commodity business people are trying to get out of, not buy into.
We have a better idea.
Perhaps Ofcom can combine it with its derided PSP concept, the "Nathan Barley Quango" much loved by New Labour, New Media luvvy friends of Ofcom boss Ed Richards. The regulator could award itself the spectrum and hand it over to "public service" bloggers, who could transmit their thoughts, unread, into the ether.
This could then become the Web 2.0 version of those ghostly shortwave numbers stations.
How about it, Ed? ®
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