Qualcomm to bid on U.K. spectrum: Firm doesn’t plan to launch commercial service

Fresh off a handful of license wins in the 700 MHz auction last month in the United States, Qualcomm Inc. is now eyeing spectrum in Britain, yet the company says it is not interested in becoming an operator in that country.
“Qualcomm does not intend to become an operator in the United Kingdom. If L-Band spectrum is acquired, any activity beyond research and development would be done in collaboration with others,” John Caterer, managing director of the company’s operations in the U.K., wrote in response to questions.
Qualcomm UK Spectrum Ltd. showed up on a list of nine bidders vying for L-Band spectrum between 1452 and 1492 MHz. The Office of Communications, or Ofcom, the U.K.’s communications regulator for TV, radio, telecommunications and wireless, is planning to start the auction at the end of this month.
Ofcom has identified a list of possible uses for the spectrum, including mobile TV and other mobile multimedia services, satellite digital radio and broadband wireless Internet. The L-Band spectrum “will be released on a technology- and service-neutral basis, allowing users the flexibility to decide what technology to use, what services to offer and to change their use of the spectrum over time,” according to Ofcom.
Despite the European Commission’s recent move to formally adopt Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld (DVB-H) technology as the standard for mobile television throughout the European Union’s 27 member states, Qualcomm Inc. has still found some early inroads with its competing MediaFLO technology.
The agency is not force-feeding DVB-H as the region’s mandated standard, but by listing it as a standard, the technology becomes the preferred distribution platform for broadcast mobile TV. Still, that doesn’t preclude competitors like Qualcomm Inc. from pushing its MediaFLO technology into the market. Qualcomm has also repeatedly pointed out that additional standards can be added to the list anytime.
“Qualcomm has a strong, vested interest in the European market and we are serious about committing the necessary resources to not only develop new technologies but to help create sustainable business models and partner ecosystems that will ensure commercial adoption and success,” Caterer wrote. “Qualcomm recognizes that, while a pan-European approach to harmonized technical rules for spectrum use is desirable, the U.K. L-Band auction represents an opportunity to develop, test and explore a variety of innovative wireless services and technologies.”
Qualcomm completed a pair of MediaFLO trials with British Sky Broadcasting Limited in Manchester and Cambridge, Britain in late 2006 and early 2007. Both companies concluded that MediaFLO outperformed DVB-H on a variety of factors, including a physical layer field performance that was 4.5 dB greater overall, which could allow a MediaFLO network to either double the programming capacity or cover twice the geographical area.
Analysts have routinely said DVB-H doesn’t penetrate as far as MediaFLO, while DVB-SH, a variant of the former that relies on satellite delivery, outperforms both.
MediaFLO technology can operate in UHF and L-Bands (other bands may be supported) between 470 and 862 MHz or 1452 and 1492 MHz. It requires total bandwidth of 5, 6, 7 or 8 MHz.
In the United States, Qualcomm owns spectrum covering 130 million people, and runs a MediaFLO network used by Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility.