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Slow and steady to win 4G race

The race for 4G mobile communications must be a marathon, not a sprint, if the migration is to be effective, argues Askar Sheibani

We are all acutely aware of the impact our increased use of mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, is having on the UK’s telecommunications network infrastructure.

Many parts of the country are experiencing a range of issues, from dropped signals to poor connection times. Often, the existing network is literally creaking under the strain. But the solution is not 4G - or at least not yet.

The advent of 4G networks will undoubtedly encourage more consumerisation and BYOD within the business world. The new infrastructure will also elevate the UK’s position in the global technology arena. However, the industry needs to understand that while it sounds appealing, this would be a premature move, which will bring environmental fallout and little benefit to UK businesses at this stage of its life cycle.

We have heard much talk recently about Everything Everywhere’s push for a 4G rollout to happen faster. In addition to its not-for-profit information initiative, the company has commissioned a survey with a view to stressing the benefits that upgrading to 4G might be able to bring businesses.

The concern is not whether a network of this type can bring increased productivity or flexible working - any next-generation upgrade should automatically fulfil these requirements. The more appropriate question is whether or not the UK can technically handle such a transition without adversely affecting the existing 3G networking across the country.

Representatives for the lobby group Federation of Small Businesses have recently described the 4G rollout delay as a disaster for the economy. Meanwhile, Everything Everywhere continues to pile on the pressure for a 4G rollout, eager to use its own spare spectrum to get ahead of the competition.

Although an accelerated rollout might suit certain telecommunications providers, for other network suppliers this would mean sprinting the migration from 3G to 4G. Such a rush job, given the current economic climate, is unlikely to prove favourable for the massive investments in infrastructure that will be required.

If 4G launches early, Britain’s 3G infrastructure will not be maintained, supported or developed adequately, leaving businesses and consumers alike out in the cold. Should the UK fail to complete such a critical piece of infrastructure in an orderly fashion, the impact is two-fold. Service levels will undoubtedly slump and end users will not enjoy the connectivity they have come to expect.

This alone should indicate that the move to 4G will be problematic if steps are not taken to maintain existing services. Simply put, rushing into 4G will only jeopardise existing 3G service levels - a situation the UK’s economy could do without - particularly with the Olympic Games now just around the corner.

Askar Sheibani is chief executive officer of Comtek