Refarmed 1.8ghz GSM Band Could Support Global Roaming For LTE

The European Commission has adopted technical rules on refarming 2G spectrum for LTE and WiMAX, with a particular focus on using wireless for rural broadband coverage. The new rules affect the 900MHz and 1.8GHz bands. This opens up a second sub-1GHz band for mobile broadband, along with the 800MHz digital dividend, which will be vital to universal coverage plans. It also raises the prospect of 1.8GHz becoming the primary band for LTE global roaming. So far, one of the problems with LTE is that it is being deployed in so many different bands, leading to problems of scale for device makers, and of roaming.

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• While the EC has previously passed directives to support refarming of 2G spectrum, these rules are designed to allow for GSM, UMTS and the 4G technologies to coexist without interference. National regulators will have until December 31 this year to implement the regulations.
• Mobile bodies like the GSM Association, and many regulators, welcomed the changes and said they would push countries that have been slow to refarm spectrum into action, accelerating rural broadband progress. The target of the EU universal broadband program is to ensure that all Europeans have access to 30Mbps internet speeds by 2020, with half of all households having access to 100Mbps or higher.
• Urban Landmark, head of spectrum at Swedish regulator PTS, explained to NetworkWorld that the new framework would address the complex issues of roaming and interference on borders between countries, and would also provide powerful incentives for carriers to start work, and for vendors to make equipment for these bands.
• The 900MHz band, along with the digital dividend spectrum around 800MHz, are key to universal broadband initiatives in rural areas of the EU because of their strong propagation capabilities. Sweden and France have been among the frontrunners in refarming, and while the band was originally earmarked for 3G expansion, some operators are looking to leap straight to 4G, to harness the greater speeds and spectral efficiency of LTE for rural services. Tele2 of Sweden, for instance, plans to use 800MHz LTE for smartphones and tablets – fully mobile data - and 900MHz for USB modems and routers, for fixed and portable rural broadband.
• The 1.8GHz band has lower range but good capacity and is well suited to urban and suburban services, as well as holding out the prospect of global LTE roaming. More than 350 operators already hold 1.8GHz allocations, using them mainly for GSM. The world's first commercial LTE network in this spectrum was launched by Mobyland in Poland last September and Australia’s Telstra has said it will deploy LTE in the same band by the end of this year. Other operators that have expressed interest in following suit at an early stage include Elisa in Finland, Deutsche Telekom in Germany and StarHub in Singapore.