Broadband News
News, views and analysis
PCCW launches 3.4Ghz wireless broadband service
06 May 2004 | 12.14 Europe/London
UK Broadband, a wholly-owned subsidary of PCCW, have launched their wireless broadband service. The new service is called Netvigator and operates in the 3.4Ghz spectrum. Last year UK Broadband managed to acquire all 15 3.4Ghz licenses, allowing for national coverage. The new service is currently in operation in Aldershot, Maidenhead, Reading, Slough, Windsor and Wokingham. The Netvigator site suggests that further deployment will follow.
Price-wise the service seems very competitive. The 512Kbps service costs £18 per month (inc VAT), whilst the 1Mbps service costs £28 per month (inc VAT). Both services are 256Kbps upload and do not have a setup charge attached to them (although an engineer install will cost you £50). There is no mention of any download caps on the site.
These products are clearly aimed at the home to small-business users. I'd hazard a guess and say that there will be additional products launched in the not-too-distant future (a home 2Mbps product and some symmetric services for businesses perhaps?). The full coverage of the service is currently unclear, although I am in the process of investigating that.
Update (1am, May 7th): UK Broadband have now published the full press-release on their website, which contains a few other interesting snippets of information.
Firstly, they state that the first months subscription is free and without obligation - which is a bonus for those hesitant about a wireless service.
Secondly, and I quote: "After completing this launch, UK Broadband will announce its national rollout plans for this new generation service in the UK and Northern Ireland." Their next immediate target locations appear to be Bracknell, Ascot and Woking though - as indicated on slide eleven of their Powerpoint presentation (1.3MB).
Price-wise the service seems very competitive. The 512Kbps service costs £18 per month (inc VAT), whilst the 1Mbps service costs £28 per month (inc VAT). Both services are 256Kbps upload and do not have a setup charge attached to them (although an engineer install will cost you £50). There is no mention of any download caps on the site.
These products are clearly aimed at the home to small-business users. I'd hazard a guess and say that there will be additional products launched in the not-too-distant future (a home 2Mbps product and some symmetric services for businesses perhaps?). The full coverage of the service is currently unclear, although I am in the process of investigating that.
Update (1am, May 7th): UK Broadband have now published the full press-release on their website, which contains a few other interesting snippets of information.
Firstly, they state that the first months subscription is free and without obligation - which is a bonus for those hesitant about a wireless service.
Secondly, and I quote: "After completing this launch, UK Broadband will announce its national rollout plans for this new generation service in the UK and Northern Ireland." Their next immediate target locations appear to be Bracknell, Ascot and Woking though - as indicated on slide eleven of their Powerpoint presentation (1.3MB).