We undertook a number of modelling studies for Ofcom in 2014-2015, to inform their policy on technical conditions relating to the release of 700 MHz broadcast spectrum for mobile use. The most likely band-plan involved the user equipment (UE) handsets transmitting at frequencies immediately above the remaining broadcast allocation, with base stations assigned spectrum higher[…]
We have provided specialist technical advice to ‘Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited’, the UK body charged with managing issues of LTE to DTT interference at 800 MHz LTE. This work has involved a number of strands including; the development of algorithms and computer models for the site-specific prediction of interference from mobile base stations to domestic DTT receivers;[…]
One of the closely watched topics at WRC-15 is the agenda items for the next WRC and in particular identifying spectrum allocations above 6 GHz for mobile broadband services. If the experience from recent years is anything to go by, the search for new mobile spectrum is likely to be contentious.
As part of the UK Spectrum Strategy published by DCMS in March 2014, an expert panel was established to make recommendations on incorporating social value into spectrum allocation decisions. Tony Lavender of Plum was a member of the expert panel, which has now published its report.
Plum carried out an exercise for Telecom Argentina looking at the value of spectrum in various bands for their operations in Paraguay. This project was designed to inform Telecom Argentina of the relative value of spectrum, and to influence their future strategy around participation in spectrum auctions and other spectrum acquisition.
Plum provided assistance to the GSMA, operators and the regulator in Egypt on developing a roadmap for the release of additional spectrum for mobile broadband across the country. Following a previous project outlining the benefits of mobile broadband, the Egyptian government were seeking a detailed report on the obstacles to be overcome when moving towards[…]
This study for the GSMA demonstrates the gathering global momentum around adoption of 1.4/1.5 GHz band for IMT services in the run up to WRC-15. The 1.4/1.5 GHz band is of value to IMT services because it provides much needed capacity to support traffic growth and has propagation characteristics that support better rural and in-building[…]
In order to identify where spectrum in the UHF bands could be made available for mobile broadband, Plum surveyed the television broadcasting markets across the Middle East and calculated how a move to digital television could free up significant amounts of spectrum in the sub-800MHz bands. Starting with the assumption that the number of channels[…]
Plum was commissioned by the Inter-American Development Bank to provide advice to the Mexican telecommunications regulator, the IFT, on the appropriate way of valuing spectrum ahead of a number of auctions. The IFT was set to significantly expand the amount of spectrum available to operators, and wanted to understand the appropriate level for reserve prices[…]
The assessment of future mobile data and spectrum demand is an important policy and business strategy question. The orthodox approach to these linked questions starts from a mobile data traffic projection to infer spectrum demand and value. However, future mobile data demand is uncertain, and spectrum demand and value is sensitive to data demand, since[…]