MP’s Want Mobile Operators to Get on with It

A committee of UK MPs is urging mobile operators to stop fighting over how to share out the airwaves that will deliver next-generation services and get on with it.

The switch-over to digital TV has been key to providing the much-needed bandwidth for data services following the exponential rise of smartphones.  The result freed up a spectrum of airwaves that are now being fought over by the top mobile operators. 

The spectrum being auctioned is particularly valuable because it is low frequency and therefore covers greater distances. Regulator Ofcom hopes to hold the sale mid-2012, meaning that the UK is on track to be one of the last European countries to hold its 4G auction.  

Amidst a complex list of complaints, Ofcom has made clear that it wants Three to remain as a competitor in the UK mobile landscape because it has ensured that consumers get innovative services and low prices.  Therefore, in its proposals for the spectrum auctions the watchdog set mechanisms to ensure that Three got a portion of the 4G spectrum at a minimum price.  This angered O2 and Vodafone who threatened legal action over the floors, claiming they amounted to state-aid for Three.

Three, Vodafone, O2 and Everything, Everywhere are all planning to meet with Ofcom and the Government during the second consultation period in December to try and decide how the auction should work.  

The Revolution of Mobile Broadband Rumbles On

Nearly half of the countries internet users are now accessing the web via mobile connections according the Office for National Statistics.

In 2010 only 31% of people surveyed were using their mobile devices to access the internet, that figure is now up to 45%.  The most significant increase affected 16 to 24-year-olds who use mobiles. 

The popularity of 3G broadband did not necessarily mean that more people were going online overall.  Most interestingly, the ONS survey also found a dramatic rise in the use of wifi hotspots - a seven-fold increase since 2011 - suggesting that the rise of 3G has done little to slow demand for free and paid-for wireless access.

Did you know - A smartphone can be infected by viruses in the same way as a PC?  Protect yourself for FREE!

Three Mobile, The Robin Hood of Rural Broadband?

The cynics among us may say that it is a shameless attempt to lobby Westminster for the valuable wireless spectrum.  However, but Mobile operators, Three, claim that their 3G giveaway is for the greater good of rural broadband. 

Three are giving away 3G broadband to rural areas struggling to get fixed line services.  First to benefit will be residents of Gringley-on-the-Hill in North Nottinghamshire who will receive 30 dongles and free data access for a year.  It will also get public WIFI hotspots in the local pub and community centre.  They hope to roll similar packages out to 10 communities across the country in the next twelve months.

In their commitment to isolated communities, Three has formed a working group with the Countryside Alliance and Race Online, the government-backed group that is trying to get more people using the net.

The company has made no secret of their desire to purchase the lower-frequency spectrum which can cover a much wider area and offers better indoor coverage than their current high-frequency spectrum.    

Jeremy Green, analyst with research firm Ovum, remains skeptical of Three’s true motivation. "It is not as if Three is concerned about lack of access. It wants to show off how good its network is and lobby for more spectrum."

What do you think?  Does Three’s motivation truly matter if the digital divide becomes less significant?

For more information on Adodo’s Business Mobile Solutions, click here!

Top 10 Slowest 3G Towns

Birmingham, Leicester and Cardiff are all among the top 10 slowest towns for 3G mobile broadband speeds according to the latest research.

Understandably, mobile speeds are increasingly crucial to users as smartphones become more widely used.  In research compiled by Top10.com, Peterborough was deemed to be the town with the fastest speeds at 3.6 Mbps (megabits per second), compared to 1.73Mbps in Milton Keynes which was tipped as the slowest town.

Towns offering speeds above 3Mbps included York, Derby and Reading but the research highlights that there is still a long way to go until speeds are up to scratch.

UK regulator Ofcom is conducting its own research into mobile broadband speeds. The results are due later this month.  Meanwhile, the government continues to try and tackle the issue and is auctioning off spectrum next year, which will allow mobile operators to introduce faster, 4G services.

Have you secured you SmartPhone Security yet? Call Adodo NOW to find out how! 0115 970 1471

3G Switchover May Cause Unfair Advantage

After a long period of deliberation Ofcom has finally given the go-ahead for mobile operators to use their 2G spectrum for 3G mobile broadband.

The result will help mobile operators to "increase mobile broadband speeds" as well as offer more mobile broadband coverage in rural areas, meaning that consumers will receive a better service. 

Currently the 2G spectrum is used for making phone calls and sending texts, but this decision could ease some of the pressure on current 3G services.  They are feeling the strain due to the massive increase in the use of smart phones and mobile internet.

However, not all UK mobile phone operators were happy with the decision; Kevin Russell, chief executive of Three UK said the decision would give "unfair competitive advantage" to the operators that hold 2G licences.

Ofcom’s verdict comes ahead of the Digital Dividend auction planned before 2012, in which we will see the government sell off frequencies for next-generation mobile services, which will offer speeds faster than today's 3G networks.

It was the issue of “competition” that delayed Ofcom’s decision for so long.  Mr. Russell called on Ofcom to ensure the 2012 auction would create a market where all operators could compete on a level playing field.

Virgin Media take on 3G

Following a 'useful' small-scale, experimental, wi-fi network at this year's V festival, Virgin Media is considering launching a nationwide wi-fi network to compete with BT.

They have been inspired by cable operators in other countries, and have been particularly interested in watching developments in the US.  Virgin Media have admitted it would be a "massive undertaking" and that no firm plans have yet been drawn up as yet.  That said; they are clearly up for the challenge, claiming that they could offer a better alternative to 3G networks for those who want data on the move.

A Milestone in Mobile Communications at 17,000ft

Nepalese telecoms firm Ncell, has launched the world’s highest internet service on Mount Everest.  Climbers can now surf the internet and make video calls through a 3G network says TeliaSonera, the Swedish broadband provider, which owns Ncell.

The company has installed eight 3G base stations along the route to Everest base camp.  It is thought that the wireless network will help the thousands of tourists who visit Mount Everest every year. To date, climbers and trekkers have had to rely on satellite phones and a voice-only mobile network.

At present less than one third of Nepal's population have access to telecommunication services.  TeliaSonera have also announced that they will be investing more than $100m (£63m) in the next year to improve mobile coverage in the country.

Blackberry Playbook verses the Apple iPad

The latest player in a highly competitive computer tablet market is the Blackberry Playbook, and is set to be a long-awaited rival the Apple iPad.



It is one of the first business-centric devices in the tablet market with Bluetooth and wi-fi included; BlackBerry users can also tether their phone for a 3G connection, making internet on the move easy. RIM is pushing the angle that it will be ideal for enterprise and business and that security will be at the heart of everything it does. However, they have also made it very clear that it will appeal to the everyday user aswell.


A full list of specs is yet to be published but it features a 7-inch screen, two video cameras and will not use Blackberry's latest operating system, instead relying on that of QNX; a company RIM recently acquired.
The Playbook was unveiled after much anticipation at the Blackberry developer conference in San Francisco. It is set for release in early 2011, and whilst they have been reluctant to comment on the comparisons made with the iPad, it is creating a real buzz in the tablet market.