Interview with Tom Smyth, Managing & Technology Director at Wireless Connect
Part One: Power to the People
How can your work in Ireland benefit organizations across Europe?
Ireland currently finds itself a vanguard of the roll out of technologies addressing the digital divide. Currently, there are two approaches to delivering high speed broadband across the country: the first is a vibrant local Internet Service Provider ecosystem currently operating without state aid support. The second is a large rural fibre rollout, with state aid support. Both approaches aim to deliver high-speed broadband to the far corners of the country.
As it stands, consumers have a choice between very high-speed digital subscriber lines (VDSL), fibre, mobile 5G and fixed wireless from organisations like us. There are about 30 companies like Wireless Connect within the country, and a couple of thousand across Europe. We are certainly not unique and what we have in common is investing locally within our communities.
We’re in a sector which is evolving at a phenomenal rate. When our business started in 2006, we were delivering 1Mbps to our customers. Now we’re delivering 200-250x this! But it’s still not a gigabit, and we can only achieve this through gaining access to additional spectrum. Imagine spectrum as the lanes found on a motorway – if we want to do more then we need more lanes! This can be done by asking governments permission to build more lanes to allow more cars to pass per second, and the same applies for spectrum. Being able to deliver and brand yourself as ‘gigabit capable’ is very important from a competition point of view. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) operators having the capability to offer gigabit plus speeds (through greater spectrum availability) will help the EU and its member states achieve the goals set out in the Digital Decade Policy Program.
Expecting SME ISPs to deliver Digital Decade Policy Program Targets without help in the form of a spectrum allocation would be unfair. That’s why we’re advocating for more capacity for not only our own firm but on behalf of every small ISP across Europe looking to deploy and invest in their own infrastructure. Having additional spectrum within the upper 6 GHz band can also help bring about greater choice and diversity to customers, as fixed wireless offers an alternative, diverse infrastructure which allows the market to operate in fair price competition. Having that allocation can allow us to deliver and even surpass Europe’s Gigabit targets for 2030.
Why is spectrum access important on both sides of the home gateway?
Digging fibre into a building should theoretically help enhance the connectivity available to homes and businesses, yet providers are unable to fully deliver on the full potential of this method. The current allocation of spectrum for Wi-Fi means adequate bandwidth for devices used in these buildings isn’t available. To put it another way, there is no point is spending billions on building multi-lane information superhighways to a citizen’s home or business, only to condemn the last few meters to a dirt track bottleneck. The smallest bottleneck is the actual bottleneck that needs to be tackled. It costs nothing to give a consumer or an SME spectrum so that they -and their Wi-Fi networks - are no longer the bottleneck.
Home subscribers and SMEs should have a choice on how they connect their devices. Having this choice can limit the possibility of monopolies and ultimately prevent price gouging. Subscribers could either connect wirelessly through Wi-Fi on a single subscription within their building, or alternatively, opt for a ‘per-device’ subscription model through 5G. It’s not a one-size fits all solution, and having that choice is necessary to meet consumers’ needs. While 5G has its benefits, the diversity of infrastructure and the freedom to select a solution that suits them best is putting the consumer at the heart of what we do. Not only that, but said choice means they are also not tied to a specific technology!
The larger telecoms providers have in recent years had a significant amount of spectrum allocated for 5G. This is fundamentally a good thing, but it’s now the SME’s turn to have greater access and truly harness the benefits of fixed wireless and FTTH investments. This is something I’m passionate about – it will go a long way to enabling multi-gigabit access to end user devices – and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next generation of Wi-Fi chipsets can deliver.
If we want to take things to gigabit and beyond in Europe, then more spectrum is essential. My colleagues in the United States, who are also investing in their rural areas, are already utilising 6 GHz technologies and I applaud them for it. If we want to afford our own country the same benefits, the European Union can take a leading role in investing in their own areas, giving businesses like ours the power to deliver effective technology to those who need it the most.
What do you think about the claims that the 6 GHz band should be for 5G?
There’s a future for 5G and certainly a future for Wi-Fi, in fact both technologies are complementary of each other. Looking at the 6 GHz band, the Americans have got it right. They gained access to the 1.2 GHz of spectrum in the 5.9 GHz- 7.1 GHz band and are using it for fixed wireless and Wi-Fi – it’s a win-win! While we have the equipment at the ready, it’s unfortunate we can’t deploy them to the same extent as our American friends. We’re keen to start delivering a top service to our clients, and on a personal note, I can’t wait to see the impact of unleashing Wi-Fi 6 and 6E in Europe. We want to stop being envious of our FWA colleagues in the Americas who operate with unshackled 6GHz spectrum. We want to enjoy the same tools for success in connecting the unconnected with Gigabit speeds in Europe.
Just 40% of 5G Licensed frequencies have been deployed, meaning 60% of 5G’s capabilities have yet to be deployed. I’m imploring our friends in telecoms companies to invest and deploy in the frequencies they’ve already been allocated before they ask for more. It’s the SME’s and consumers turn to get the spectrum now. There has been a huge impetus to improve conditions for telecoms providers, which is absolutely a step in the right direction, but there needs to be an improvement for the consumer, and that’s why the 6 GHz for licence-exempt access is important. It helps the little guys and that’s why I’m advocating so hard for it.