New super-fast mobile broadband services could be a reality by 2012

Good news for anyone looking enviously at Cornwall's super-fast mobile broadband trial - a spectrum auction has finally been announced that could pave the way for fast mobile broadband nationwide.

Mobile broadband, while extremely useful for its 'online anywhere' functionality, still lags behind fixed-line alternatives in terms of speeds, but the gap could be closed once the next generation of the technology is made widely available. Trials of LTE technology have happened across Europe, but to achieve real-world implementations the networks really need to get their hands on more broadcast spectrum.

Which is where the spectrum auction comes in. The plan to auction off sections of broadcast spectrum - freed up by the switch to digital television - has been in the pipeline for quite some time, but has been held up by a number of factors. Now, however the government has formally announced the auction, which it is hoped will take place late next year. Such a timescale could mean that better, faster mobile broadband services could be a reality by 2012.

Commenting on the 'spectrum modernisation', communications minister Ed Vaizey said "The past 20 years has seen a revolution in mobile technologies – but we need the networks to continue to improve and increase services. Under our plans, our mobile industry will have access to the 21st Century infrastructure it needs to give UK consumers the latest technologies and even better coverage for broadband on their mobile phones.”

As well as helping people who want to get online on the move, better mobile broadband could be a god-send to rural communities which are struggling with slow connections or no broadband at all. Tests of next-generation mobile broadband networks have indicated that top speeds of 150Mb are possible, but back in the real world it is believed that speeds of 12 - 15Mb could be achievable, which would be significant boon to anyone so far from the exchange that they're stuck with virtually dial-up speeds.