BT rumoured to be interested in mobile WiMAX spectrum; 21CN rollout plans revealed

According to ‘industry sources’, BT plans to add to its existing ‘Fusion’ fixed/mobile convergence service which combines Wi-Fi and cellular, by buying up spectrum for mobile WiMAX services. Regulatory body Ofcom will open up spectrum in the prime WiMAX 2.5GHz to 2.7GHz band in January 2008, with auctions expected to start either later this year or early in 2007. The telco has publicly stated it is testing WiMax gear from Navini Networks Inc. in Birmingham, but has yet to be drawn on its plans for the forthcoming mobile WiMAX spectrum auction.

In separate but related news, BT has revealed further details on the rollout of its next generation IP-based network. The USD10 billion project begins in Cardiff at the end of this year, and will be followed by a mass migration of customer lines in every region of the UK from January 2008. The first areas to be migrated after Cardiff include Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Brighton, Bristol, Canterbury, Darlington, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester and Nottingham. Rollout of ADSL2+ technology will commence in the second half of 2007, allowing up to 24Mbps broadband access to 50% of the UK from early 2008. BT says work should be substantially complete by the end of the decade.