Freedom4 (which is a joint investment between Daisy Group plc and Intel Capital) has been granted a licence variation by Ofcom (in the UK) that enables it to offer mobile wireless broadband services to its customers using its nationwide 3.6GHz spectrum.
Apparently, Freedom4 has already achieved the world’s first seamless mobile WiMAX handover between base stations operating at two frequencies (2.5GHz and 3.6GHz) and “architected a high capacity core network, capable of delivering wholesale services”.
The latest Digital Britain publication by the UK Government (BIS) acknowledges that WiMAX is the only 4G wireless technology commercially available today and that it is being deployed across the globe.
Freedom4 owns the largest contiguous block of 4G compatible spectrum currently issued in the UK, together with national spectrum at both 4GHz and 28GHz ideal for delivering wireless backhaul. Freedom4 has also integrated wireless network equipment and has both fixed and mobile devices to connect to its network including the world’s only quad band WiMAX dongle.
So right now, the company is in a state of readiness for build-out, having architected and integrated all necessary network equipment for operation. Interestingly, crossing this point will require major investment – something that perhaps typical investors might be less keen to do at the moment, what with the extension of 3G data speeds, and current economic climate. However, whether it’s sooner rather than later, one thing seems to clear – 4G is coming to the UK, in what will quite possibly be 3.6GHz spectrum.
Roll on 4G! 🙂