Applicants bidding in BWFA auction named

NEWS Companies running to bid in the 28GHz Broadband Fixed Wireless Access (BFWA) auction have been named today by e-minister Patricia Hewitt. The minister expects competition to be particularly fierce and named 12 applicants to bid in the October auction. Telecoms Orange, Energis, Norweb Telecom and Broadnet are among those listed. The BWFA fast access service will give both businesses and consumers the choice of cheap, fast internet and multimedia access through radio links instead of local loops. Three licences in the 28GHz band will be auctioned in each of 11 English regions, as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Prices range from £4m per licence in London to £100m in Northern Ireland. A full list of prices for each BFWA licence can be found attached to a press notice issued by the Department of Trade and Industry on the 22 August.