UK MOD to auctions radio frequency

The UK Ministry of Defence is to auction some of the radio frequency it owns in a move that will increase the capacity for 4G mobile services. The spectrum being sold is below the 15GHz frequency, which is seen as the most useful type because it can be used for a wide range of communications. Mobile phone and broadband suppliers are seeking access to more spectrum. Demand for this is mounting, fuelled by rising use of data-hungry devices such as smart-phones and tablets. The sale, which will take place in 2014, will give private operators the chance to buy more spectrum to support the introduction of fourth-generation (4G) mobile services to people in cities, towns and villages across the UK., which will allow much faster download speeds. Alternatively, the spectrum could be used by fixed-line operators to provide wireless access to broadband services. The EE mobile phone network, formed by the merger of Orange and T-Mobile, is the only UK service to offer 4G. This move has been anticipated for several years, with the government's spending review of 2010 recommending that some of the most valuable public sector spectrum should be released by 2020. The MoD, which controls around three-quarters of that, was the first government department to act on the review but the money raised by the auction will go to the Treasury. Boosting access The Ministry of Defence (MoD) says it owns a lot of spectrum - around 75% of that which is publicly held and does not need all of that. Minister for defence equipment, support and technology, Philip Dunne, said: "We welcome this opportunity to free up much-needed spectrum."We hope that the sale will help drive the roll-out of new generation networks and universal access to broadband, both of which are vital to the UK's prosperity." UK Ministry of Defence