French Telecom Operators Bid On 4G Networks
With Thursdays deadline looming for applications to build the fourth generation of mobile networks, Frances four main operators have now submitted bids to deliver this much needed technology aimed at keeping up with the demand that smartphones and tablets have put on wireless/mobile bandwidth as a whole.
Bouygues Telecom, Orange, SFR and Free have all now submitted there bids for the 14 lots that are on offer in the 2.6 gigahertz range, France’s Arcep telecommunications regulator said.
The results for these less expensive urban area frequencies are expected in late October, and rumours are that they will be sold for around the €700 million mark, with the more expensive 800 megahertz frequencies which are better adapted for rural regions expecting to fetch around 1.8 billion euros, these bids close on the 15th of December. The licenses will then be awarded in early 2012.
With transfer speeds of up to 100m megabits per second, I think this new wave of mobile internet will seriously push mobile ubiquity through the roof and is much needed in order to keep up with the global demands of such highly connected devices that take up so much bandwidth 24/7.
Anthony Munns