BT Response to Radiocommunications Agency Consultative Document: Spectrum for Two Way Paging - Overall Summary

BT believes there is still a potential market opportunity for two way paging, but it will be more to satisfy niche applications, than to meet mass demand for paging services and alleviate spectrum scarcity. Cost and speed of introduction will be critical, in order to gain a foothold against competitive GSM and third generation services. Consequently, spectrum auction is not a suitable method for awarding licences. Without European harmonisation of two way return frequencies, product cost and availability is unlikely to approach that needed to operate a viable system. The spectrum capacity currently reserved for ERMES should be released for technology neutral paging usage.