Subject: [NEXTEL-1] 5 GHz license exempt in UK

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 19:31:22 -0500

-------- Original Message --------
From: Alistair Jeffs <[email-masked]>
Subject: 5 GHz license exempt in UK

Faster Wi-Fi hot spots get green light

Government hopes to boost 'Broadband Britain'

The government has announced plans to deregulate the 5GHz band of the 
radiocommunications spectrum. Legislation to make 5GHz licence-exempt will 
be introduced in parliament today, and will come into force three weeks later.

The move will allow commercial network operators to run Wi-Fi hot spots 
based on 802.11a. The 802.11a standard is significantly faster than 
802.11b, which existing hot spots are based on.

Individuals and organisations will also be able to run wireless local area 
networks using 802.11a.

According to the government, the decision to make 5GHz licence-exempt will 
help the growth of broadband in Britain.

"Opening up this radio spectrum will encourage telecoms operators to 
deliver new and innovative public services. It will offer the possibility 
of 'broadband on the go', with services based in public places," said 
ecommerce minister Stephen Timms in a statement on Tuesday.

"It is important that businesses are given the resources to create and 
deliver new ideas and technology to benefit the public. This will allow 
them to make the best use of limited spectrum and help deliver Broadband 
Britain," Timms added.

There may not be an immediate need for public WLANs running 802.11a, some 
experts have claimed, as the maximum surfing speeds available will be 
restricted by the speed of the connection from the hot spot to the 
Internet. If this is only a 4Mbps link, for example, there's little benefit 
in using 802.11a rather than 802.11b.

802.11a does have other advantages, though, such as less interference, 
better cooperation with Bluetooth and higher peer-to-peer speeds.

[email-masked]
www.jetpackUK.com
M: +44 (0)7970 767 549

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