Ofcom has launched a consultation aimed at letting all the mobile operators vary their 3G licences to bump up their base station transmission power.
Such a move would reduce the number of 'dead zones' – areas of no signal – and give better mobile data downloads and phone calls.
An Ofcom spokesman said: “The consumer benefit of this change may be improved mobile phone coverage, potentially increasing the availability of services in the UK.”
The consultation, called "Application for a variation to 3G licences", was launched in response to a request from mobile operator Vodafone. The operator said it would like to "vary its Wireless Telegraphy Third Generation Mobile Licence (3G) to increase the permitted power limits”.
In the consultation document posted on its site, Ofcom said that the request had been discussed with other 3G licensed operators and that all have indicated that they would support the proposal and would like to benefit from the same condition being applied across the licence class.
Ofcom’s spokesman added that further mobile broadband performance improvements could be realised since base station technology had improved, meaning there was “new equipment on the market capable of using increased powers more effectively”.
Any moves to increase transmission power from mobile operator’s base stations could lead to complaints from residents living near such stations. However, the consultation claims that the size of power increase being proposed is unlikely to "significantly affect its position in relation to the International Committee for Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).”
ICNIRP sets maximum permitted emission levels from mobile base station infrastructure.Ofcom is inviting written views and comments on the issues raised in its consultation document, to be made by 5pm on Friday 19 March 2010.
Such a move would reduce the number of 'dead zones' – areas of no signal – and give better mobile data downloads and phone calls.
An Ofcom spokesman said: “The consumer benefit of this change may be improved mobile phone coverage, potentially increasing the availability of services in the UK.”
The consultation, called "Application for a variation to 3G licences", was launched in response to a request from mobile operator Vodafone. The operator said it would like to "vary its Wireless Telegraphy Third Generation Mobile Licence (3G) to increase the permitted power limits”.
In the consultation document posted on its site, Ofcom said that the request had been discussed with other 3G licensed operators and that all have indicated that they would support the proposal and would like to benefit from the same condition being applied across the licence class.
Ofcom’s spokesman added that further mobile broadband performance improvements could be realised since base station technology had improved, meaning there was “new equipment on the market capable of using increased powers more effectively”.
Any moves to increase transmission power from mobile operator’s base stations could lead to complaints from residents living near such stations. However, the consultation claims that the size of power increase being proposed is unlikely to "significantly affect its position in relation to the International Committee for Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).”
ICNIRP sets maximum permitted emission levels from mobile base station infrastructure.Ofcom is inviting written views and comments on the issues raised in its consultation document, to be made by 5pm on Friday 19 March 2010.
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