[DBMandrake]

Ofcom has just released a new report on 2G/3G coverage in the UK including specifically examining the issue of "not-spots". It's quite a lengthy report and I have only skimmed it so far, but I thought I would start a new thread for it.

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/telecoms-research/not-spots/not-spots.pdf

Discuss :)

[Ben]

Blimey, yes, that's some bedtime reading right there. Should be an interesting read, though; I already saw some good stats just glancing.

[Hands0n]

Encouraging

Furthermore, we recently advised the Government that mobile operators should be able to use their 2G (voice and text) spectrum to carry 3G (mobile broadband) services17. This is likely to bring significant benefits to consumers leading to faster mobile broadband speeds, improved indoor coverage and wider mobile coverage in rural areas18. This is subject to the Government’s expected Direction to Ofcom on mobile spectrum, which amongst other things requires Ofcom to vary the existing 2G licences in this way.

Despairing

Most coverage issues are mainly the result of low commercial drivers for further investment in network coverage
5.7 The PA research has shown that the extent of mobile coverage is fundamentally determined by the overall business case. In other words, most coverage issues – whether they are complete not-spots, partial coverage or interrupted coverage on the move – will largely reflect each mobile operator’s commercial drivers for further investment in network coverage45. PA did not identify planning or technical issues to be the key reasons for the lack of coverage in the non-rail case study sites they investigated

No surprises there then. O2 has probably been one of the most tardy investors in 3G - in fact one has to wonder why they bothered purchasing a licence in the first place. Even OFCOM had to give them a public slap a year or so back, with a stern warning that they needed to do an awful lot better in terms of coverage than they had to date. Nothing changed. They're still sparse across the UK.

This is all just typical though. Left to their own devices the Mobile Network Operators are a pretty shoddy bunch. It is only when they feel the hand of the Regulators upon their shoulders that they finally act, and then very begrudgingly. The capped EU charges are a case in point. Prior to capping the customers made minimal use of their mobiles when travelling. The operators and GSMA said that capping charges would be the operators ruination. Exactly the opposite happened, people used their handsets when travelling, operator profits soared. Not one single operator went to the wall. Then the same thing happened with SMS messaging - the same cries of ruination, the same enforced capping, then the profits came yet again. And so it continued into mobile data roaming - exactly the same negativeness from the operators, enforced capping in the EU, still no sign of operators failing because they can't make a profit!!!

And so in the UK also, the operators will have to be dragged kicking and screaming all the way to resolving the not-spot problems that OFCOM are only just paying attention to. Of course, the customers have known about this all along - its only taken OFCOM seven years to prick their ears up and start investigating. Who knows, in another seven years time we may actually see ubiquitous mobile network accessibilty.


I'll read the entire document over the next few days!! Its a thoroughly interesting read.