700 MHz band to be used for broadband worldwide

The United States teamed with neighboring countries to get the 700 MHz band identified for wireless broadband services in the Americas and major markets in Asia at the close of the World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva, effectively setting the foundation for a global market for WiMAX services and products in frequencies being relinquished in various timeframes by broadcasters around the globe.
“This conference has helped create a much larger market for wireless broadband technologies and services,” said Ambassador Richard Russell, head of the U.S. delegation and a top official in the White House Office of Technology and Policy. “Because we know have a very broad swath of spectrum available around the world both on a global and regional basis for wireless broadband technologies, the market for these technologies and services has been enhanced. There is much more certainty today . than there was before the conference started [on Oct. 22].”
Russell said gains at WRC-07 eventually will trickle down to the buying public as well. “From a consumer’s standpoint, what you’re actually going to see is more technologies and more services roll out more quickly, which means cheaper technologies and cheaper services and better technologies and better services. And that’s all based on an expansion of the size of the market and increased certainty.”
In the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission plans to begin auctioning 700 MHz licenses-1,099 total-on Jan. 24. The auction could be windfall for the U.S. Treasury, which could net as much as $15 billion from winning bids, and lead to development of national commercial/public-safety broadband network.
Russell said Brazil, the largest South American country, balked at having 700 MHz (698-806 MHz) included in the family of International Mobile Telecommunications-an International Telecommunication Union classification-for domestic purposes because of broadcasting related reasons. Likewise, Europe and other regions-owing in part to relatively recent broadcast rebanding-opted to recognize the 790-862 MHz band for IMT, though implementation would be delayed until 2015.
Still, identifying 700 MHz for IMT throughout most of North America, Central America and South America as well as in populous, growth-prone Asian countries of China, India, South Korea and Japan represent a major triumph for the Bush administration. It was made all the sweeter by securing conference approval of a measure protecting 2.5 GHz terrestrial wireless broadband operations from satellite interference.
“WCA applauds a major victory for the broadband wireless industry in the agreement to adopt power limits on satellite services in the 2500-2690 MHz band that protects land-based services from interference in the major fourth generation/WiMAX frequency band in the U.S., and in many other parts of the world,” said the Wireless Communications Association International in a statement. “Helping to ensure smooth operations in a next generation of advanced services for the public, the victory stems from a five-year effort by WCA members, with especially strong support from an expert team from Sprint Nextel [Corp.] focused on their forthcoming WiMAX launch.”
Mobile satellite services armed with ancillary terrestrial component authorization won global recognition at WRC-07, but MSS-ATC will continue to lack the IMT imprimatur associated with 700 MHz and other frequency bands. Nonetheless, noted Russell, “ATC has gotten an international boost.” He added: “I’m extremely pleased with the results of the conference.”