Ofcom Website | Background and context to the report on Ultra Wide Band interference on Broadband Fixed Wireless Access

Ofcom Website | Background and context to the report on Ultra Wide Band interference on Broadband Fixed Wireless Access

UWB or ultra wideband is a technology that spreads the signals across a wide range of frequncies. Signals are duplicated and error correction is used which makes the system very resistant to interference and allows very high data rates (hundreds of Mb/s if not higher).

Currently UWB is illegal in the UK and Ofcom has commissioned various independent bodies to carry out economic studies on the benefits and UWB.

Initial costings look very positive with great benefit to the UK economy, however there is a downside in that it might interfere with fixed wireless access (FWA) licenses therefore producing some negative costings to them, however these can be mitigated by ensuring the UWB systems would "listen" and not transmit on those frequencies where they "heard" other transmissions taking place.

In the US the FCC has already allowed the use of (low power) UWB and it looks like Ofcom would like to do the same, however they'd use an ETSI (European Telecoms Standards Institute) spectrum mask instead of the FCC one.

This would require a harmonised European approach and Ofcom have submitted their findings and analysis to various EU regulatory bodies and will submit their proposals for UWB in the next few months.