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UK Approves of 5.8GHz For Rural Broadband

Posted by Hemos on from the making-best-use-of-the-air-waves dept.

Tandoori Haggis writes "BBC News reports a major decision by UK Government to approve the use of 5.8 GHz C-band for use with wireless broadband. A prime consideration is the desire to provide broadband access for rural areas where broadband cable might be prohibitively expensive to impliment. Previously there had been resistance to freeing up 5.8GHz because it is in an area of the RF spectrum used by C-band radars."

8 of 111 comments (clear)

  1. Read up... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    They should read up on hack proofing their networks, in that case.

    More info.

  2. Great last mile solution.... by micker · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is great, we need to see it here in the States. This would help with Last mile issues out west or in the farmlands. Or, I could use this from my apartment and still get a signal at my favorite bar.... I like that...

    --
    Words are only yours until someone else uses them...
    1. Re:Great last mile solution.... by the_2nd_coming · · Score: 3, Interesting

      802.16 will handle the last mile, it will go 22 miles and be ratified next year.

      --



      I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
  3. C Band Radar for Defense? by nharmon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    From the article:

    [i]"The Ministry of Defence had resisted opening up the spectrum because it has radar systems operating in Band C of the 5GHz part of the spectrum."[/i]

    Perhaps the UK should stop using C band radars for military purposes, and get with the times by upgrading to L-band or X-band radar.

    C-band is acceptabe for weather radar, but even then, you would be more worried about weather radar obstructing broadband connections...not the other way around.

    1. Re:C Band Radar for Defense? by Gumshoe · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Perhaps the UK should stop using C band radars for military purposes, and get with the times by upgrading to L-band or X-band radar.
      The UK does use X and L band radar, it just happens to use C band radar as well; and I would bet dollars to doughnuts that the US Government still uses C band somewhere in its infrastructure.
    2. Re:C Band Radar for Defense? by billsf · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Sure, why not? Modern radar is not that likely to be affected by low-power communication devices however, due to special techniques such as spreading which is coming to datacom, like it or not.

      L-band (1.7 - 4.2 GHz) offers longer range.

      X-band (8.0 - 12.4 GHz) has much finer resolution which certainly gets better for Ku, K and Ka band systems. The higher frequency systems are more prone to weather however.

      C-band (4.2 - 8.0GHz) is a good compromise between range and target resolution.

  4. Hills and valleys in the back and beyond by webtoe · · Score: 2, Interesting
    This would be great for my Grandad who can't get xDSL (BT won't upgrade the telephone exchange) or cable (too remote). He lives in Lancashire, on the snow line of a hill where the telephone line is abysmal. I sure as hell know that he'd love to get away from AOL.

    The only thing is, will this be a practical solution? In the hills and valleys will the signal be strong enough? Will it reach down into the valleys? I barely get mobile reception when I'm there!

    Alex

    --
    "There is no beast as dangerous an enemy to mankind as christians are to one another" - Ammianus Marcellinus
  5. Re:question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    If you stay in the C-band and you consider C-band to be 4-8GHz, then it's 3.6GHz of bandwidth [2*(5.8-4)]. Of course the UK isn't giving up the entire C-band to 5.8GHz. I can't find the exact range they are allocating.