HC Deb 28 January 1985 vol 72 cc47-8W
Mr. Moynihan

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what conclusions he has reached on the future of bands I and III in the light of the response he received to the consultative document, Cmnd. 9241; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Pattie

[pursuant to the reply, 9 January 1985, c. 442]: We received a considerable number of constructive and detailed responses. The proposals in the consultative document for competing local trunked systems providing common base station and message handling services in band In received widespread support.

The prevailing view favoured the adoption of a common signalling standard for trunked systems based on MPT 1323 and the preparation of such a standard, in consultation with the manufacturers, is making good progress.

Proposals were also submitted for the establishment of one or more very large new national radiotelephone systems in band III with interconnection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and for the immediate adoption in band III of single sideband modulation.

The consultative document suggested that the question of a further national radiotelephone service should not be considered until the two new 900 MHz cellular services had had an opportunity to develop. These services, which started this month, have a large band of spectrum already set aside for them.

Given the need to make the best use of available spectrum and the publicly stated basis on which the cellular competition took place, I have concluded that it would not be right to license any further such national systems for the time being, but the position will be reviewed towards the end of 1986 in the light of growth in the demand for radiotelephone services with PSTN interconnection and experience of their development.

In the meantime, however, I am exploring further, with advice from the Director General of Telecommunications, the possibility of authorising the immediate establishment of one or more large national networks either without interconnection or possibly very limited interconnection. I have also asked the director to advise whether, in the context of the promotion of competition in communications in the United Kingdom, existing public telecommunications operators should be eligible to operate systems in band III.

Subject to further consideration and to the director's advice, applications may be invited in the spring for one or two national networks and, in certain of the main conurbations, for up to five or so smaller local ones, with the possibility of some PSTN interconnection. The first generation of smaller systems and at least the first national system would be licensed to operate in accordance with the agreed common signalling standard. If it were decided to authorise two national systems preference in the case of the second might be given to applicants proposing the use of more advanced technology such as single sideband. Proposals would also be invited for local or national two-way mobile data transmission systems.

Further consideration is being given to a number of other issues raised in response to the consultative document and to the future use of band I.