4G Trial Volunteers in the UK - Report Example

The Cornish Villages 4G Trial report Introduction Fourth Generation (4G) technology is an extension of Third Generation (3G) technology, but with more broadband services offered over a larger band width. 4G technologies are considered as the technologies that have already achieved maturity in the present market and can be sustained for the future with additional bandwidth and stable and enhanced services. The services enabled by 4G are set to be high quality audio-video streams over end-to-end Internet Protocol (IP). 4G technology, with its high data rates has the potential to create new opportunities for business as it can open up new markets (www.freewimaxinfo.com). 4G enables full fledged IP based communication through a mobile device with every device having a unique IP address and harmonizing “global roaming, super high speed connectivity, and transparent end user performance” (www.4Gtechnology.com). BT Wholesale and Everything Everywhere (EE) have begun a trial run of 4G technology to provide broadband services to St. Newlyn East and South Newquay in Cornwall. The project has called for 200 subscribers to register for the service that would enable them to receive broadband through mobile and landline services. This report studies the technical, social, user, legal and policy aspects related to this project of implementing 4G in the Cornish villages, to understand the main challenges during the process of implementation. Technical background BT Wholesale along with EE has identified the two Cornish villages to be connected for trial implementation of 4G/LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology through mobile broadband that is 10Mb of the total 150Mb generated in the lab. This project aims to prove that mobile broadband technology is more viable than laying of fibre. This project aims to study the viability of integrating two different providers’ architectures to deliver high speed broadband to remote villages within UK. High resolution mobile devices when connected to 4G technology enable streaming video and ubiquitous computing. Technologies like wireless mesh networks and cognitive radio networks are used to allocate equal network traffic over equal bandwidths to ensure secure connections. UMTS, OFDM, SDR, TD-SCDMA, MIMO and to the some extent, WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability of Microwave Access) are used in 4G (freewimaxinfo.com). While seamless broadband connections are available for users, the connections receive and can send data from WiMAX towers, switching from one tower to the other, being based on IP (Tandall, 2011). IEEE’s (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.22 ‘white space Internet’ standard is being used to allow wireless broadband through analogue television signal frequency range of 54MHz to 698MHz. This standard enables lower speeds over higher range of spectrum to cover remote areas that were difficult to connect through 3G internet. White space internet ‘wireless regional area networks’ (WRANs) provide access to at least 62 miles with speeds of 22Mbs which can cover wide areas in the remote villages of Cornwall (Philips, 2011). High speed data with high security and instant download is enabled by 4G which is based on WiMAX and LTE and supports WiMAX Network system (network infrastructure) and mobile phone set. 4G technology enabled smartphones are based on wireless IP connectivity and manages voice data through packet-switching instead of circuit-switching as in the case of internet technology of 3G. Further, LTE which is developed on radio wave technology is said to provide internet facility using both systems as it is compatible with 3G technologies. This feature enables existing networks to be used based on MIMO (Multiple input multiple output) and transmits and receives high data transfer speed while transiting from one mode to another through the same bandwidths (freewimaxinfo.com). Switching from analogue to digital broadcasting services as per the ‘Digital Agenda’, the 800MHz digital dividend sub-band consisting of 790-862MHz portion of the radio spectrum is used for the transmission of analogue television and wireless broadband services (Clark, 2010). The technology is tested for the first time, over fixed phones lines, mobile phones and mobile broadband although LTE is not 1Gb/s as requirement by IMT-Advanced standards (News and Views, 2011). The focus of the trial is to test the interoperability of networks while working for reliability and speed across UK by understanding the challenges in implementing the trial. Social and User background 100 mobile and 100 fixed line customers will access to 4G technology for the first time where wireless technology is used. The two villages are remote areas where laying of fibre-optic cable is deemed uneconomic and reaching broadband over copper lines is not going to work. As per labour administrator’s ‘Digital Britain’ report, every home is supposed to have a broadband connection of at least 2Mbps (Arthur, 2011). Real consumers are being used in this trial for the first time in UK to take their feedback. Also, this trial is set up in remote areas where there was no internet connectivity prior to this (News and Views, 2011). 100 people are given free access to technology equipped phones. This trial can help rural population receive broadband speeds at home comparable to that in urban areas. As these areas completely lack any internet broadband connectivity, implementing the trial for the first time can help identify any specific problems faced regarding rural connectivity (News and Views, 2011). The trial and further implementation is expected to contribute to the local economy and business due to the increase in data communication (Arthur, 2011). Volunteers are sought to use the services from September to December, and while some are given wireless routers to connect throughout the house, others are given wireless dongles to test the connections. Although, the customer receives broadband as other users in the urban areas, these volunteers test whether there is connectivity and speed while the delivery mechanism is the main focus for testing by the firms (Delahunty, 2011). The aim is to transform the local economy in the coming 20 years with world-class communication access to increase competitiveness, attract new business investments and create job opportunities. 80% of businesses and 90% of homes are set to receive high speed broadband by 2014. Also, with download speeds of 100Mbps, half of the country’s businesses and homes are set to receive the services with street-side telephone junction boxes connecting other internet users (BBC, 2010). As 4G enables access to mobile network and mobile services, service providers need to share, manage and optimize valuable radio resources. The 4G technology enabled services are set be the fastest and easiest access to people and places in the area (msn.com, 2011). Chacewater and Blackwater are the main targeted areas with plans for further enhancements and accessing online timesheets could soon be a reality for many businesses in these areas (AtlanticGlobal, 2011). The trial is free of charge for the participating residents with the technological support from Nokia Siemens Networks and Huawei (Lynchon, 2011). The trial is also set to aid telecommuting and increase property values where about one in six lack broadband connection (Zezima, 2005). Companies are focused on the IP innovation to leverage its potential in the different industries it is set to drive. However, there is a complexity attached to the implementation of the patent thicket or the series of overlapping patents which can also make the standard-driven industries like the telecom industry, stifle. It can also restrict innovative capabilities of the technology as against the perceived advantage of innovation (Kaufmann, 2011). Legal and Policy background Government intervention is needed in areas such as in Cornwall where there is very low economics, human resource and environmental concern. The government aims to provide high speed 4G mobile computing and phone services to all areas of the nation, urban and rural to increase the business, infrastructure and job opportunities over the next 20 years. For this, the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have been given permission to use a small portion of the 800MHz frequency spectrum while the limit of coverage obligations is 95%. Also, BT has agreed to provide every citizen of the county with access to high speed broadband as required by the European Commission. Further, once the commercial and technical viability is tested, there are plans for rolling the service across UK (Worth, 2011). European Commission’s ‘Digital Agenda’ requires that there be a single, harmonized regulatory framework for e-commerce, copyright, technical standards and e-health. And as per this requirement, UK’s plans to roll out 4G broadband across the country after the trial in Cornish villages helps in harmonizing factors like electronic payment, etc. and eliminate regulatory barriers for efficient economy. Interoperable e-invoicing framework with the legal framework for cross-border interoperability and recognition is also aimed to be achieved through this trial and final roll out of 4G. Further, copyright law framework across Europe is another focus of the ‘Digital Agenda’ that is being tried for. Also, intellectual property rights pertinent to telecom frameworks and the right to privacy also are to be considered and standardized by the Commission by a policy shift (Meyer, 2010). The Commission has also decided to develop the weak areas of standardization that the different parts to be interoperable and be based on standards, language and open platforms. Also, the e-health requires that all Europeans have online access to telemedicine by 2020. However, the ownership of the system, if public or private is yet to be finalized as per the Agenda (Meyer, 2010). Although, 4G is rolled out for the first time in the Cornish village as a trial, its full capacity will be available to be tapped once the trial is successful and the different companies bid for the spectrum. There are a series of concerns that need to be addressed in this regard, and the foremost being the issue of patenting and enabling innovation. As the various companies that lease out the spectrum evaluate the advantage of the technology to create their own market space, the issue of royalty stacking and burdened innovation can become a major bottleneck for future. Complementary patents without substitutes, fosters the risk of royalty stacking where these complementary patents have to be designed around a specific patent of the single company dominating the market. Also, the more the number of patents, more is the fragmentation of the industry and less is risk of holdouts and large royalties (Kaufmann, 2011). Conclusion 4G technology is an extension of 3G technology and is set to enable ubiquitous computing on mobile devices that can access high speed broadband through wireless technology. UK government has decided to test the project in its rural area of Cornwall in two of its villages where 100 mobile users and 100 land line users are registered to access the wireless broadband services from September to December of 2011. IEEE’s ‘white space internet’ standard is being used to allow wireless signals through analogous TV transmission frequencies based on IP transmission through packet-switching. The project would be further rolled out in phases across the country after the difficulties faced are studied. The Cornish county is chosen so the trial is done at the most rural area with no internet connectivity as it enables the service providers to study the viability of the service in the harshest of areas. The trial is intended to test the viability of wireless broadband services to remote areas resulting in reducing laying of fibre cables that is found to be uneconomic. Further, with 4G/LTE and mobile services integrated to provide seamless connectivity, the landscape of the rural areas is set to change in terms of economy, infrastructure and job opportunities while also being on par with the European Commission’s requirements for standardized frameworks. Legal and policy framework requirements of the European Commission in terms of intellectual property rights, privacy rights, e-commerce and e-health are also being enabled through this trial and integration of technologies. For the trial project, 10Mb of data bandwidth is allocated out of the 800MHz frequency bandwidth. While 80% businesses and 90% home users are set to receive wireless broadband by 2014, it is the compliance to the Digital Agenda framework that is a major challenge to the public and private providers. Further, technologies like UMTS, WiMAX, MIMO, etc are used in 4G and offers seamless integration of services which are highly scalable and adaptable. Compliance with Digital Agenda also has its own opportunities in terms of efficiency, scalability and enhancement. However, there are some issues with the realization of this project as discussed in the following section. Main challenges Challenges that managers of the trial project may face are numerous in terms of integration of the networks for 4G/LTE and mobile providers. As there is to and fro transmission and receiving of signals from one service provider’s WiMAX network to another, signal authenticity and credibility is to be maintained and verified. According to Digital Agenda of the European Commission, there are further requirements to ensure copyrights are protected, standardized frameworks are developed for integration as they can be used pan-Europe, and open frameworks are to be developed for use; there is a challenging task for the trial providers as they need to ensure inter-operability, compliance to standards as per Digital Agenda for e-commerce, e-health, etc. Since the targeted time for a full-fledged roll out across Europe is till 2020, and as there is a need for high level of cooperation and communication among the member states, it is a highly complex task to achieve the targeted results. However, phased integration can be a solution, but requires faster response to reduce boundaries and standardize regulatory framework among others. A bigger challenge is the conflict that can arise from the ownership of the service as BT and EE along with other regulatory bodies need to work together to successfully roll out the project across the country while adhering to the Digital agenda. ISP’s and public and private agencies may have to increasingly work in tandem, which is set to be a big task for the project. Since there is a need to communicate and cooperate with other countries within the region, there can be conflicts arising out of the framework and compliance to individual states. As the legal and policy framework for the pan-nation rollout comes to the fore, there can be a number of issues relating to patenting and fragmentation. There is a lack of a complete list of essentials, it is difficult to pick a single patent as the standard, innovative patent aiding smooth rollout and also the issue of transaction costs can simply mean that there can be much ambiguity of standardization of patenting and implementation of 4G based on the present stage of the technology before it can be successfully rolled out. The probability approach is seen as the best option, but it has its limitations. References Arthur, C. 2011. BT to begin 4G LTE trials in UK. TheGuardian. AtlanticGlobal. 2011. Rural Cornish businesses receive better broadband. http://www.atlantic-ec.com/solutions/news/20110329/1676/Rural-Cornish-businesses-receive-better-broadband.html Accessed on 03rd November 2011. BBC. 2010. Cornwall to get super-fast broadband in ?130m project. BBC News Cornwall. Clark, J. 2010. EC to push for more mobile spectrum. ZDNet UK. http://www.zdnetasia.com/ec-to-push-for-more-mobile-spectrum-62202888.htm Accessed on 03rd November 2011. Delahunty, J. 2011. BT looks for 4G trial volunteers in UK. News: AfterDawn. Kaufmann, T. 2011. Intellectual Property in Broadband Mobile Telecommunications: Predictions on 4G WiMAX. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich. Lynchon, G. 2011. BT and Everything Everywhere to test UK 4G LTE in Cornwall. Tech Digest. msn.com. 2011. 4G LTE fixed and mobile broadband trial starts in Cornwall. Microsoft. http://tech.uk.msn.com/news/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=159422697 Accessed on 03rd November 2011. News and Views. 2011. High Speed 4G LTE Trials Begin In Cornwall. Mobile Broadband. Philips, L. J. 2011. Rural Internet Access to Benefit from White Space Internet Standard. International Business Times. Tandle, J. 2011. The Background of 4G Wireless Internet Technologies. http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Tandle Accessed on 03rd November 2011. Worth, D. 2011. Everything Everywhere team up for Cornwall 4G trial. V3.co.uk. Zezima, K. 2005. Rural living, high-speed Internet access? CNET. http://news.cnet.com/Rural-living,-high-speed-Internet-access/2100-1034_3-6001442.html Accessed on 03rd November 2011. Read More