Resource update - OFCOM spectrum review

OFCOM's consultation issued today proposes that unlicensed spectrum increase from 4.3% of total at present to 6.9% by 2010, but doesn't identify specific frequency ranges to be refarmed. It proposes retaining direct regulation over 21% of existing spectrum, and allowing market forces to prevail over the other 72%. Cognitive radio does not look likely to receive license-exempt status, but the document refers to an upcoming separate consultation on UWB, which sounds like it might be interesting. Also of interest is a reference to the possibility that a WiMAX operator acquires frequencies through trading and expands coverage to various parts of the country, exactly the kind of scenario suggested by Telabria during our conversation last week.