Mr. Jeremy Godfrey:

I will answer this question. Last year, when preparing an assignment process for spectrum, which includes one of the spectrum bands identified in Europe as a pioneer band for 5G, we did a study on the connectivity needs of users. The conclusion was that mobile and fixed services are complementary in ensuring the needs of end users are met. For a number of reasons, we do not believe 4G or 5G mobile networks can meet the objectives of the national broadband plan. We modelled a number of scenarios, the most aggressive of which was 99.5% population coverage including a 30 Mbps service to a single user at the edge of the cell. This would require almost double the number of cell sites that mobile networks have at present, which would be very expensive to put in place and would take a long time. We are all aware of some of the difficulties mobile operators have in finding cell sites. Even the coverage we modelled would not guarantee indoor connectivity, only outdoor connectivity. Many of the more remote premises covered by the national broadband plan would require additional equipment to ensure the signal could be received indoors. End users of a mobile network could not be guaranteed the same consistent high-quality experience. The modelling we did was for a single user at the cell edge. Providing capacity if everybody in the coverage area was streaming video every evening would be another kettle of fish entirely. Even the very expensive additional mobile network coverage would not be sufficient to meet the objectives of the NBP.

To answer the question on the amount of fibre, one of the deployment scenarios for 5G involves what are called small cells. Our modelling was based on the large macro cells with equipment on towers and masts. There is a deployment scenario whereby the cell size is a few hundred metres or so. This has been designed for deployment in urban environments with a big density of demand. To deploy it in rural environments would require fibre backhaul from each small cell.

If one were to put a number of small cell sites along a rural road, one would still need to have fibre along the road to handle the backhaul from those sites. The expense would be much higher and the signals could still be blocked by, for example, foliage and rain.

I will make another point about 5G and 4G. As well as their use in mobile networks, radio technologies can be used for fixed wireless connections. There is potential in the use of wireless in fixed wireless mode to serve selected hard-to-reach premises. However, mobile broadband would not be a solution. Fixed wireless broadband could form part of a solution but only selectively.

The Chairman asked about examining 5G deployment in other countries. There is none really, save for very small trial deployments in the United States where suburban fixed wireless broadband is being used. They are in environments where there is a much greater demand density than is found in the rural premises served by the NBP; therefore, they are not relevant.