[kictanet] Fwd: [TIER] UN agreement on freeing spectrum for wireless

[Eric Osiakwan]

fyi

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Jennifer Bussell <jbussell at berkeley.edu>
> Date: 19 November 2007 19:54:38 GMT+03:00
> To: TIER <tier at tier.cs.berkeley.edu>
> Subject: [TIER] UN agreement on freeing spectrum for wireless
>
>
> http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2ece0dd2-962c-11dc-b7ec-0000779fd2ac.html
> Radio spectrum freed for mobiles
> By Frances Williams in Geneva
> Published: November 19 2007 01:23 | Last updated: November 19 2007  
> 01:23
> Valuable radio spectrum now used mainly by broadcasters is to be  
> opened up to broadband services offered by mobile phone operators  
> under a United Nations agreement endorsed on Friday by governments  
> from over 160 countries.
>
> For the first time, the decision will provide a common chunk of  
> spectrum for mobile broadband services globally, boosting the  
> market for new wireless technologies. It is also expected to reduce  
> significantly the cost of expanding mobile networks in poor or  
> predominantly rural nations.
>
> The accord follows a month-long diplomatic conference that pitted  
> traditional broadcasters against mobile phone operators in a battle  
> over who should benefit from the “digital dividend” provided by the  
> continuing switch from analogue to digital television.
>
> Digital signals require much less bandwidth, freeing space in the  
> coveted ultra-high frequency (UHF) band, which has been the almost  
> exclusive preserve of broadcasters.
>
> Mobile phone companies have pushed for access to the UHF band for  
> two reasons. One is that the quality signals support high-speed  
> mobile broadband connections, enabling faster downloads of data and  
> video to mobile devices and encouraging the development of new  
> internet-based services.
>
> The other is that UHF signals can penetrate buildings and travel  
> long distances, so fewer base stations are required for coverage of  
> large areas, cheapening the cost of rolling out wireless broadband  
> networks.
>
> Under the deal, the Americas and much of Asia, including China and  
> India, will open up the 698-806 Megahertz band to mobile wireless  
> broadband services between now and 2015 as the transition from  
> analogue to digital television proceeds.
>
> In Europe, Africa and the Middle East, where broadcasters have  
> retained a bigger share of UHF spectrum, only the 790-862 Megahertz  
> band will be available for mobile wireless broadband and not before  
> 2015.
>
> Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
>
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Eric M.K Osiakwan
Executive Secretary
AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org)
Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031
Fax: + 233.21.258811
Cell: + 233.244.386792
Handle: eosiakwan
Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North
Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North
Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/
Slang: "Tomorrow Now"




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