New 3G Spectrum Welcomed in US
(Source: BWCS - with minor editing by MobileInfo.Com)

US mobile operators in USA are extremely happy that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s announcement that it has identified new spectrum for 3G services. Earlier this week the NTIA published a report outlining recommendations for the allocation of 90MHz of spectrum for next-generation mobile services. The spectrum is located in two separate tranches of 45MHz in the 1710-1755 MHz and 2110-2170 MHz bands. 

At present federal military and non-military users are using the 1710-1755MHz band In USA. As part of the NTIA’s proposals 3G licensees which are awarded spectrum in this band will have to compensate the existing federal users of the band to relocate their services to another frequency. According to the NTIA the process of relocation could take until 2008 but it has indicated that efforts would be made to clear spectrum relating to urban 3G services before this date.

Private sector companies offering services including paging, point-to-multipoint distribution, mobile satellite downlinks and local television broadcasts currently occupy the 2110-2170MHz band. However the NTIA appears confident that 45MHz can be made available immediately in this band for 3G services.

The NTIA’s announcement has been particularly welcomed by the trade group 3G Americas, members of which include GSM operators AT&T Wireless and Cingular Wireless. The GSM-based migration path to third generation W-CDMA services will require these operators to acquire significant additional spectrum. Meanwhile proponents of the rival cdma2000 standard such as Sprint PCS, claim that they already have sufficient spectrum for 3G and have already begun to deploy services based on the cdma2000 1X and cdma2000 EV-DO standards.