Have you ever wondered how your smartphone or 3G tablet works, how it manages to communicate wirelessly wherever you travel in Europe?
The answer is radio spectrum. Not the most “visible” part of the digital agenda – but in many ways one of the most significant. Because every kind of wireless communication relies, in one way or the other, on intelligently using the public resource of radio spectrum.
Radio spectrum frequencies have long been used for things like radio and TV broadcasts, digital and analogue; and for scientific, military or civilian purposes.
But new technologies mean a whole lot of new demands on radio spectrum. Spectrum is used for “traditional” mobile phones – calling and texting. Plus to transmit data: it’s the key that unlocks your tablet or smartphone – so you can check emails, access the wealth of knowledge online, or catch up with your favourite TV programme while waiting for the bus. While for others, solutions based on radio spectrum are the only way to get fast internet access – for example, those in rural areas where “fixed-line” broadband is uneconomic, and who therefore rely on mobile or satellite broadband. Read the full entry
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