ISP utilisation of the 5GHz spectrum Dr A.K.Brown

TheRegional ISP Successful regional ISP’s survive by –being flexible –offering fast roll out of services –Local knowledge of customer base and their needs for data connectivity

Infrastructure issues Semi-rural towns and communities suffer as wired infrastructure is non-existent or incomplete It is not an economic reality that this will change in the near future

And yet..... The demand for broadband connectivity from the user is as important to them as those users in more populous areas.

The Need The need exists for connectivity methodology to economic serve this customer profile

The wireless approach Wireless technology has been evaluated by us over the last few years – technologies examined : Satellite asymmetric links Microwave networks –market testing undertaken Market size terminal capital cost charging regimes

Key outputs 1 : Low end user terminal cost -£400- £500 –use of mass produced sub systems with technology migration Relatively low infrastructure cost –modest number of users per node MB charging is a serious limitation to take up of service

Key outputs 2 Satellite based systems have not proven commercially successful- too expensive both initially and running costs Microwave network –system availability established and experimentally implemented using fault resilient architecture in a wireless network

Key outputs 3 Other major factors contributing to cost and feasibility include: –Coverage area (Cell Size) –Size of antennas –Delivery time/logistical support for equipment –Environmental Performance –Line of Site issues –etc

Commercial viability To provide areas of relatively low population density with wide band connectivity is economically feasible with microwave approach providing: –Low equipment cost to end user –Fixed charging regime –low infrastructure costs.

Commercial viability 2 Providing these objectives can be met, the market is real and is a here and now need. But: –Total market is distributed widely, requires low overhead, flexible company structuring to be successful –Hence, a good market for local ISP’s to develop

Issues limiting market growth ISP sell data transport services, hence telco license needed. –Regional license practical (ie within economic reach)but need spectrum space –Spectrum required therefore must be licensable.

Spectrum needs Spectrum needs to be available where equipment is ready developed, and of a mass market low cost nature. As regional use only, range is reasonably limited ( a few kilometers)

5Ghz band So far, we have only considered the use of Hiperlan I technology –This is closest Hiperlan to equipment rollout at an acceptable cost level –It is already a ETSI standard However if the IEEE standard becomes acceptable this may well be a better approach due to equipment availability

Technology issues As Hiperlan I was never designed for this application will it work? Two issues have been considered (preliminary findings): –Power limitation –Group delay issues in an real environment

Hiperlan Technology Initial work indicates: –1W (high power part of the part) –Assymetric links - ie higher directivity antennas at end user and sector transmission at base termianal (recalling relatively few users ) limit group delay A practical system is feasible.

Issues Before further assesment, be it Hiperlan or IEEE standard the licensing position needs to be clarified- no point in assesing technology if can’t use it!

Summary Semi-rural communities can be economically serviced via low cost microwave based networks from low overhead suppliers. –Regional basis –Licensable part of spectrum needed –Low cost, rapidly depolyable equipment –Existing customer base

Summary 2 To develop the market 5GHz band equipment is a good candidate due to low cost, ready developed equipment: IEEE standard or Hiperlan I (ETSI) are both candidates.

Summary 3 Need a licensable part of the band in the higher power region in order to have a realistic chance of success License on a regional basis to enable rapid spectrum utilisation