The value of spectrum!
Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 5:06 pm
Murray G6JYB - RSGB spectrum manager - posted some interesting facts from Ofcom today:
The 3.4GHz band (where the amateur band is 10MHz wide and we have several TV repeaters licensed) is the core one for next-generation 5G mobile broadband starting at 3410 MHz.
In the auction earlier this year for the right to use it, the network operators paid ~£8m/MHz. On top of that, Ofcom have just announced there will be an annual fee to use of £358k / MHz / year (or a total of £43m a year for UK Broadband/Hutchison-Three)
So the 10MHz amateur band would have cost £80m plus an annual fee of £3.5m!!
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations- ... z-spectrum
Meanwhile lower down the frequency range Ofcom are proposing in https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations- ... 0-1800-mhz
900 MHz: £1.093m per MHz per annum (approx 35 MHz each between Vodafone and O2)
1800 MHz: £0.805m per MHz per annum (90MHz used by EE customers)
Imagine what 70cms is worth - and Ofcom are looking at our band occupancy there - so next time you can't be bothered to get on the air, just remember how fortunate we are - and it really is a case of use it or loose it.
The 3.4GHz band (where the amateur band is 10MHz wide and we have several TV repeaters licensed) is the core one for next-generation 5G mobile broadband starting at 3410 MHz.
In the auction earlier this year for the right to use it, the network operators paid ~£8m/MHz. On top of that, Ofcom have just announced there will be an annual fee to use of £358k / MHz / year (or a total of £43m a year for UK Broadband/Hutchison-Three)
So the 10MHz amateur band would have cost £80m plus an annual fee of £3.5m!!
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations- ... z-spectrum
Meanwhile lower down the frequency range Ofcom are proposing in https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations- ... 0-1800-mhz
900 MHz: £1.093m per MHz per annum (approx 35 MHz each between Vodafone and O2)
1800 MHz: £0.805m per MHz per annum (90MHz used by EE customers)
Imagine what 70cms is worth - and Ofcom are looking at our band occupancy there - so next time you can't be bothered to get on the air, just remember how fortunate we are - and it really is a case of use it or loose it.