Communications infrastructure provider Arqiva has announced the purchase of an additional 28 GHz spectrum license as it prepares for the UK’s first field trial of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA).
The 28 GHz band is already in use for FWA in leading 5G research markets such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea. Arqiva’s newly acquired Region A license provides 2×112 MHz of spectrum covering Central and Greater London, strengthening the company’s existing nationwide spectrum holdings and increasing capacity where demand is highest.
Nicolas Ott, Managing Director of Telecoms and M2M at Arqiva, said:
“There is a lot of debate about what 5G will deliver and when, but Fixed Wireless Access is poised to move quickly thanks to interest from major global fixed and mobile operators. FWA can act as both an alternative and a complement to traditional fibre. Achieving 3GPP certification will be important for global interoperability and market acceptance.”
“5G FWA presents a real opportunity to provide ultrafast broadband speeds above 500 Mbps to millions of homes. That is particularly relevant in the UK, where relatively few residences have fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) or fiber-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) connections. FWA can deliver fibre-like performance over wireless links and become a viable alternative for delivering high-speed connectivity.”
“By acquiring this additional license, we’re advancing our ambitions in the FWA market and positioning Arqiva to offer a compelling 5G FWA wholesale service to mobile and fixed operators across the UK, with extra capacity concentrated in Greater London.”
Arqiva acquired the spectrum license from managed services provider Luminet.
Sasha Williamson, CEO of Luminet, added: “The arrival of 5G will be one of the most significant digital developments of the decade, and we will watch Arqiva’s trial with interest. Divesting this spectrum is a strategic decision for Luminet as we continue to expand our existing 400 sq. km London network and sharpen our focus on wholesale connectivity and edge computing services across Great Britain.”
Arqiva is partnering with Samsung for the UK’s first 5G FWA field trial, planned for this summer in London. The trial will use the 28 GHz band to test ultra-fast, high-bandwidth wireless connectivity as an alternative to traditional wired broadband infrastructure.
A key industry milestone will follow in March 2018, when the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) completes Release 15, marking the first formal standardization phase for 5G technologies.
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