The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) and its Northern Ireland counterpart Ofcom are to hold auctions on two radio radio spectrum licenses that could be used to provide wireless broadband or additional mobile network capacity.
The two telecoms regulators will hold two co-ordinated auctions of radio spectrum licenses for each jurisdiction.
The auctions are due to take place in spring of 2007. They will be auctioned through a sealed bid process.
The two licenses cover the same spectrum band of 1785MHz to 1805MHz. It is understood that this part of the island’s radio spectrum is at present largely unused.
ComReg said that the 20MHz block of spectrum will be released on a technology and service neutral basis, leaving it up to organisations to decide themselves how they wish to use the spectrum.
Potential uses of the spectrum include wireless broadband services, mobile broadcasting such as wireless cameras for outside broadcast, video or closed-circuit TV or as extra capacity for mobile services.
By John Kennedy
