Simon Saunders' Wireless Blog: March 2017

Our reponse to GSMA and DCMS reports

Our last newsletter generated a great deal of interest and feedback. Thanks to all of you who got in touch. At the heart of our message was our response to the National Infrastructure Commission's (NIC) report into Future Communications and 5G and we proposed the top 10 agenda items Real Wireless believes a new Digital Minister should prioritise. Now another month and another two reports looking into future requirements for connectivity. And, once again, we think we have a good few suggestions to add to the mix.

10 initiatives to drive a digital economy – Mark Keenan, CEO, Real Wireless

A recent report commissioned by GSMA argues that governments have a critical role to play in creating an inclusive digital future by establishing a policy framework that incentivises network investment with appropriate legislation, and by 'promoting digitalisation across the economy and society'. This has been followed by a strategy whitepaper from the UK's Department of Culture, Media and Sport called 'Next Generation Mobile Technologies: A 5G Strategy for the UK'. This document aims to 'serve as the blueprint for how we support the development and deployment of [5G] technology, alongside £1.1 billion of new investment designed to explore and incentivise the next generation of digital infrastructure in the UK'.

Real Wireless welcomes both reports – not least because they place the connectivity imperative higher on the political agenda. We have long argued that a fully digital economy depends on universal, good quality connectivity, which will increasingly be wireless to support ubiquity and mobility. Without that, many digital enablers will be impossible to achieve. So in a month when connectivity finally backs into the limelight, we examine consider 10 initiatives to drive a digital economy – the challenges and disruptive alternatives to the status quo. More»

Local government, 5G and the question of funding – John Okas, Strategic Wireless Business Consultant

The recent report from the UK Government's Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) argues that delivering 5G should be regarded as a key driver of the UK's modern industrial strategy and the DCMS has put local councils at the heart of its plans to deliver next generation mobile technologies.

This latest government strategy paper on 5G has been welcomed across the industry and it notably singles out local government as being central to its delivery – with clear implications for funding.

The Local Government Association believes that government and service providers have a significant role to play in ensuring a overall improvement of coverage: 'While the announcement of new investment in local broadband projects is good news, government must also commit to strengthening its Universal Service Obligation with a minimum download speed which rises in tandem with national averages, and places obligations on suppliers to provide a minimum level of upload speed.' More»

Customising the digital economy – Simon Fletcher, CTO, Real Wireless

The one-size-fits-all network model is not dead yet. But it's already starting to fall over. However it is defined, 5G is not going to operate in the same way in all cases: the various areas of bandwidth being reserved for it will see to that. High peak data rate and IoT (Internet of Things) capability, for example, each make very different demands on, and may use very different parts of, the radio spectrum.

For example, at parts of the spectrum above 30GHz early 5G users will take advantage of the high-capacity and high-speed mobile communications that such bandwidth allows. But these benefits won't initially be matched by coverage. Thus a workable model here could be campus networks for businesses. More»

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