Nokia Siemens Networks

GSA report: “a strong business case” for 900MHz frequency refarming

Alan Hadden, President of the Global mobile Suppliers Association, on the making of a true success story.

In its relatively short life the concept of frequency refarming – the clearing of spectrum for higher value applications – has become very popular with Communications Service Providers (CSPs) and device manufacturers as well. Current activities in this area focus on making available lower frequency spectrum to deliver mobile broadband services, allowing use of technology such as high-speed packet access (HSPA).

The success of refarming the 900 MHz band, in particular, comes as no surprise to Alan Hadden, President of the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA). In an exclusive interview with the editors of unite, Hadden explained:

“It makes good business sense. For the same service offering and geographic coverage, the number of cell sites required using 900 MHz is significantly lower compared to that needed for 2100 MHz, with reduced rollout time. Indoor coverage is also better using 900 MHz. It reduces CAPEX and OPEX, improves quality of service and enhances the user experience. So really, why not go with UMTS 900?”

In July the GSA published a status paper on UMTS900. You can read the full paper by clicking here. The GSA has also published two UMTS900 operator case studies, the first with Elisa Finland, and recently with Optus Australia. In both cases the facts speak for themselves.

Elisa Finland, in partnership with Nokia Siemens Networks, pioneered 900MHz frequency refarming when it launched the world’s first UMTS900 system in 2007. Since then close to a dozen other CSPs have followed suit, including Vodafone New Zealand and AIS Thailand. And, as the GSA report explains, by mid-July, 2009, 155 UMTS900-HSPA devices had been launched in markets by thirty suppliers. Support for UMTS900, the report shows, is rapidly becoming mandatory in user devices (especially modems) destined for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia-Pacific.

Reasons for success

Communications Service Providers (CSPs) who utilize the 900MHz band can provide HSPA mobile broadband services in a very cost-efficient way. CSPs can re-use existing network assets including antennas and network management systems. UMTS900 delivers the same data rates as UMTS2100, with fewer than half the number of cell sites. Nokia Siemens Networks is now upgrading the Elisa Finland UMTS900 system to HSPA+.

Another reason is an improved regulatory climate for 900MHz in most countries. Topping this off: on July 27th, all 27 EU telecoms ministers approved a bill that makes it much easier for European CSPs to deploy HSPA in the 900MHz frequency range. So the number of companies announcing UMTS900 system deployments and thus benefiting from 900MHz frequency refarming in Europe should rise quite a bit in coming months.
Says the GSA’s Hadden of this news: “This groundbreaking spectrum agreement in Brussels enables more Europeans to benefit from mobile broadband services. It is a clear signal to all regulators to prepare the path in their respective markets for a new wave of HSPA deployments in the 900 MHz band.” 

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