5 Jul 2021
As the operator of a small rural-based mobile network, I’m trying to reset my thoughts on what “basic service” is these days. If you start with nothing (ie: no mobile or WiFi coverage), what communications features are important to you?
Would you like to be able to call a taxi to collect you from the station in the pouring rain, or is it more important to make WhatsApp calls? Is the ability to dial 999 from anywhere still a critical feature? Can you manage 15 minutes on the platform without 4K video on YouTube?
We have become so reliant on our mobile devices that the bar for a minimum service offering is far greater than it was five years ago. With the minimal legacy spectrum available for operators (3.2MHz), at wavemobile can achieve a 3MHz LTE carrier with a carve-out for GSM/GPRS and voice (this is our GiLTE technology). This isn’t going to get you 5G speeds, but it will give you 5Mb/s and keep you and your umbrella dry!
If you had to restrict something to offer balanced resource utilisation to everyone else in your limited spectrum what would it be?