700MHzと900MHz周波数、世界標準に合わせることになりそう - Tech Mom from Silicon Valley

So-called "digital dividend", or the spectrum previously occupied by analog TV and gets vacated due to transition to digital broadcast, is valuable spectrum for mobile carriers in any country. In Japan, that is in 700MHz, essentially the same as in the U.S., but before the government was thinking of paring it with 900MHz, ignoring the world standard.

It was because the vacated 700MHz spectrum is not enough to go around among current carriers, and the nearby 700MHz owners are on "broadcasters" side usage, who has a big lobbying power.

I was among the industry people who strongly opposed to that idea. My team suggested to move those neighbors and get enough 700MHz, by paying the cost for moving. After some battle, on 11/19, in the commission in the Japanese regulatory body, all 5 carriers unanimously voted for the new "harmonizing" plan, so there will be 700MHz pairs and 900MHz pairs.

Japan's "Galapagos" phenomenon - segregation from the rest of the world - is seen as problematic, but I am glad that at least in one aspect was saved in the Japanese Galapagos mobile industry.

The news was out last week but I just noticed it today and blogged about it, then it got retweeted so much. I realized that many people in the industry agreed with my idea, and I am glad that Japanese authority did something to change the previous course.

Michi