Spark 5G C-Band

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freitasm

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#301979 20-Oct-2022 08:39

Just received:

Spark today welcomed the New Zealand Government’s announcement of the next steps in the allocation of C-band spectrum, which is a critical enabler of the ongoing rollout of 5G across Aotearoa.

Spark and the Crown have reached agreement in principle on key terms for a direct allocation of C-band spectrum that will provide Spark with management rights to 80 MHz of 3.5 GHz (or C-band) spectrum, in return for a commitment to support the ongoing expansion of rural connectivity through the Rural Connectivity Group (RCG) and the deployment of 5G to provincial New Zealand.

The non-binding agreement provides Spark with long-term spectrum rights from 1 July 2023 in the same band range for which it currently has temporary access. Spark’s existing “early access” spectrum rights will be extended until that date, enabling a seamless transition from early-access rights to long-term rights.

In return for the allocated spectrum rights, Spark will commit an additional $24 million in funding to the Rural Connectivity Group between 2023 and 2025, enabling the RCG to continue to expand mobile coverage further into rural New Zealand and to address mobile black spots on state highways. Spark has also agreed to deploy more extensive 5G services in provincial towns in the same time period.

Spark CEO Jolie Hodson said, “We are really pleased to reach this agreement with Government on the allocation of C-band spectrum, which provides the certainty we need to continue investing in the rollout of 5G across Aotearoa, while delivering further connectivity improvements across rural New Zealand.

“We know that technology has an important enabling role to play as New Zealand businesses seek efficiency improvements in a high-cost environment, and more sustainable solutions that enable our transition to a low-carbon economy. Now is the time for Aotearoa to move faster on digital infrastructure investment, which will underpin these productivity, efficiency, and sustainability improvements across the economy, and the spectrum allocation is an important enabler of that.

“We look forward to working with Government on the finalization of the binding management rights deed, and on the future allocation of 600MHz and mm-wave, which will be particularly important for rural 5G coverage.”

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Master Geek

#2985485 20-Oct-2022 20:30

Obviously the focus for the RCG is to continue doing infill towers for now, but I do wonder how far 5G is on the horizon for them. I would've thought it'd be a lot more useful for RCG to have 5G vs provincial towns that are likely already served by UFB2 (and if it's Spark's towers, surely they'd want to roll them out eventually anyway, so I guess this is more of an acceleration than anything).

SATTV

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#2985500 20-Oct-2022 21:35

5G for RCG on C Band is a complete and utter waste of time and money, C Band does not travel well, it will only be good very close and line of sight to the tower, expanding the 700MHz 4G network would be much better spent.

All this will allow is spark / voda / 2d to try and get as many users off the chorus network as possible in areas with fibre.

The government has given the teleco's a massive gift.

Luckly C band satellite is largely dead as when land based C band internet was released in the early 2000's caused a lot of issues.

John

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stick

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#2985518 20-Oct-2022 21:56

SATTV:
All this will allow is spark / voda / 2d to try and get as many users off the chorus network as possible in areas with fibre.

But why would anyone switch from fibre to fixed wireless?

ajw

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#2985720 21-Oct-2022 08:48

As has been alluded by a previous poster by using spectrum in the 3.5 gig band for 5G to achieve the same coverage to equal 4G coverage you would have to at least quadruple the amount of cellsites.

I note spark is talking MM wave for rural coverage best of luck with that.

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#2985891 21-Oct-2022 15:59

St1ick:
But why would anyone switch from fibre to fixed wireless?

Because marketing calls from Telco and no technical knowledge.

toejam316

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#2985897 21-Oct-2022 16:23

First of all - purely speculation on my part, I have no information on this topic professionally.

Unless I'm misinterpreting something, I'd be very surprised if Spark has agreed to implement 3.5GHz 5G technology on RCG/Rural sites, I'd suspect this is more along the lines of we're going to pour more funds into RCG in exchange for continued rights to use this spectrum.

Anything I say is the ramblings of an ill informed, opinionated so-and-so, and not representative of any of my past, present or future employers, and is also probably best disregarded.

Behodar

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#2985902 21-Oct-2022 16:42

toejam316:

I'd suspect this is more along the lines of we're going to pour more funds into RCG in exchange for continued rights to use this spectrum.

That's the way I interpreted it too. Get access to this spectrum to improve urban connectivity, but continue to invest in rural.

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JY

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#2989623 30-Oct-2022 09:49

Walking in rural Waikane right now. Spark’s broadband checker shows no copper or fibre options. 5G is four bars on my iPhone 14 Pro. Looks like a no-brainer for 5G home broadband.

JY

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Master Geek

#2989624 30-Oct-2022 09:53

Nearest 3.5GHz mid-band 5G cell site is Waikanae New World 3km away.

quickymart

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#2989626 30-Oct-2022 09:59

Walking?

Spyware

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#2989627 30-Oct-2022 10:04

JY: Nearest 3.5GHz mid-band 5G cell site is Waikanae New World 3km away.

Indoor field strength will be noticeably lower and performance poorer at 3 km.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

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Master Geek

#2989633 30-Oct-2022 10:38

Sure that’s why you should use an outdoor panel for fixed. Here’s the one at my work testing to a Voda 3.5 GHz site in Petone.

Note two feeders for 2x2 MIMO.

I have a lot of experience this year working in the US and using 5G on T-Mobile. A three month stint at the beginning of the year before I could come back without a MIQ slot, then a couple more shorter trips.

Now, T-Mo use 2.5 GHz for their mid-band and 600 MHz for their low band 5G services. You can easily tell which is which because the iPhone 5G logo shows 5GUC for the mid-coverage and 5G for low-band. The low-band coverage is awesome (think rural Alabama and Tennessee) as they use the extended cyclic prefix for better rural range, but that’s another story.

Any with the mid-band signals, even though a gig low than 3.5 GHz used NZ the penetration into building was better than expected. In my hotel rooms I generally had a 5GUC connection as long as I was on a second floor or higher. And that’s anywhere in the hotel room including the bathroom.

Now mmWave is another story entirely. Glass treated with tin oxide for thermal management blocks mmWave signals. This is why US carriers are mainly using mmWave for in-venue coverage. I saw this at several trade shows.

Note edit because I uploaded rhe wrong image

JY

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Master Geek

#2989636 30-Oct-2022 11:00

quickymart:
Walking?

It what rural people do to help save the planet vs townies who drive to a gym then complain about farmers :)

quickymart

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#2989647 30-Oct-2022 12:45

Oh I don't mean it like that - I was asking you were walking along checking broadband options on the Spark website? That's how I read it (which could be wrong).

Even if you're in rural Waikanae there should be copper available there.

boosacnoodle

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#2989650 30-Oct-2022 12:55

I'm surprised such a thing is even permissible (legally). I sincerely hope that this "promise" by the telcos to deliver on rural broadband is backed up by something robust so we don't simply end up with nothing like the billions give to telcos in the US in the early 2000's to roll out nationwide fibre (which never happened).

With that said, $24m is surely a pittance compared to the true value of this spectrum. Is that the whole investment in return for the spectrum? Maybe I've missed something here.

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