Satellite and wireless 'cost-effective' for rural broadband

Wireless and satellite technologies will have an important role to play in delivering ubiquitous super-fast broadband across the UK said an industry-government forum.

An Analysys Mason study commissioned by the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG), which investigates broadband issues, said these technologies must be incorporated into policy thinking.

It pointed out that wireless and satellite can be deployed more cost effectively than alternative fixed-line technologies such as fibre to rural and remote areas; often known as ‘the final third’.

Now that the Government has earmarked an additional 500MHz of spectrum could be made available in the 3.4 to 3.6GHz bands, the BSG said this and further spectrum release would further reduce the cost.

It would also increase the capability of wireless and satellite solutions to deliver services that will be sufficient to meet the growing demand for capacity from households and small businesses through the decade ahead.

But the BSG warned there would still be challenges and limitations to overcome using these technologies to deliver next-generation broadband.

Many more base stations would need to be deployed along with external antennas on buildings, which may not be possible everywhere. The study also said predicting how wireless and satellite technologies might evolve in the longer term is difficult

Antony Walker, the BSG’s chief executive said: “Making detailed comparisons between different technologies is difficult.There are always trade-offs to be made.

“This report seeks to make those trade-offs more transparent and should help to inform decision makers up and down the country who are thinking about the UK’s future broadband capability.”