In January 2012 Ofcom published a Call for Input in relation to a range of spectrum bands between 1.4 GHz and 86 GHz which, in total, represent to some 37 GHz of spectrum bandwidth.
The common feature of these bands is that they can be used by fixed wireless point to point links, although some of these bands are also used by other applications, notably by a range of fixed satellite services.
We initiated the review as evidence was starting to emerge that demand for some of these spectrum bands may change significantly over the next 5 to 10 years. We wanted to understand the nature and timing of these changes so that we could ensure that spectrum resources were available on terms which best reflect the needs of users. The main purpose of the review has been to help inform the development of our strategy at three levels;
i) Allocation decisions to do with which services should have access to which bands, and on what terms, particularly in the context of Ofcom’s involvement with international decision making bodies;
ii) UK band management strategy, including the extent to which Ofcom should delegate spectrum management to third parties as opposed to Ofcom managing these bands;
iii) Development and innovation in licence products offered in the bands which Ofcom continues to manage (such as the application of pricing and design of licence products).
It is important to consider such policy issues against the backdrop of an informed view of how demand for access to these spectrum bands from different services and applications might change over time. Accordingly, the Call for Input invited stakeholders to identify and evidence possible drivers of demand that may impact the spectrum under review. As part of this exercise we published (alongside the Call for Input) a report commissioned by us from Aegis Systems Ltd which considered a range of plausible hypothetical scenarios which might impact demand for these spectrum bands.