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Consultation & Review |
Date 29 September 1998
Radiocommunications Agency
South Quay
189 Marsh Wall
London E14 9SX
For the attention of: Brian Last Esq.
We refer to "A Consultative Document from the Radiocommunications Agency" concerning future licensing of radio based public telecommunications services in the 2.4Ghz band dated August 1998. This letter sets out our intentions regarding the provision of public services in the band in England and Wales.
Atlantic set out its proposals in detail when it submitted an application to the DTI to operate national fixed radio access services in the United Kingdom on 28 April 1997. This application envisaged a national PTO licence coupled with Regional radio licences. The national PTO licence was issued in December 1997. It is not our intention to set out again the details of our proposals as they are available in that application document. The application of 28 April suggested a series of regional licences which were as undernoted. The area references are to pages 5 and 6 of that document.
Area 2 Tyne and Wear
Area 3 Manchester, North West
Area 4 Yorkshire, Humberside
Area 5 West Midlands, etc
Area 6 Essex, etc.
Area 7 London and surrounds
Area 8 West Country, South Wales
These areas are similar to the areas proposed in Annex A of the consultation document. Accordingly, we have used Annex A as the basis for our further applications and request you consider further licensing to Atlantic for the six coloured areas marked one to six on the attached map signed for identification purposes by Graham Duncan.
Our network in Scotland has been fully functional since 30 October 1996 in the city of Glasgow. We launch Aberdeen tomorrow, 30 September 1998 and our Scottish roll out will be complete by the summer of next year. You are aware that we build only in urban areas. This is, among other considerations, dictated by the technological characteristics of the 2.4 Ghz band which limits power levels significantly compared to other FRA bands. Accordingly, any regional coverage obligation would require to be restricted to about 50% and we would look at a five to seven year roll out plan. Our English roll out will follow the successful plan adopted north of the border using Tadiran spread spectrum technology. You should be aware that no other operator can claim to have access to this technology other than ourselves which, we believe, puts us in a unique position to replicate what has already been achieved.
We trust that this licence application letter is sufficient for your present purposes and we look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully
Graham J Duncan
Executive Chairman
Copied to: Alan Proud, DTI
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