EC 2.6 GHz decision good for WiMAX

Lynnette Luna — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:06:07 -0400

The WiMAX Forum applauded new regulations handed down by the European Commission pertaining to the 2.6 GHz band, a key frequency for mobile WiMAX in Europe. The new regulations allow regulators to be flexible when it comes to the amount of FDD (paired spectrum) and TDD (unpaired spectrum) bands they can award to operators. The intention is to allow the market to decide which technology to deploy in the 2.6 GHz band.

The decision is important for the WiMAX industry because previous guidelines set in 2005 called for more rigid guidelines that required that two 70-megahertz swathes of spectrum be allocated for FDD and 50 megahertz allocated for the unpaired TDD spectrum, which mobile WiMAX is designed for. That tipped the scale in favor of technologies such as LTE. But now the EC can truly claim it is being technology neutral by not taking a position on how much spectrum can be allocated to either FDD or TDD spectrum.

For more:
- read telecoms.com

Related stories:
Will WiMAX be shut out of U.K. 2.6 GHz auction? WiMAX story
Intel among winners of 2.6 GHz spectrum in Sweden. Swedish WiMAX story