Ofcom lifts the lid on L-band bidders

JRC

"The Joint Radio Company" - oh what a joke.

They were planning to build their own Private Mobile Radio (PMR) network just under a couple of decades ago, so that different company vehicles could use networks such that in an emergency teams from accross the UK from different energy companies could work together. Vodafone suggested they work with them (a deal involving equity) to build a GSM based network, the Electricity Companies have many radio towers all over the UK and their communications networks were top notch - attractive to Vodafone in the race to get coverage.

What did the JRC decide - no, this whole cellphone thing was a fad, Vodafone would not succeed. Yup, they would build their own little private network based on old Marconi radio technology. The Power Companies were very wealthy, they could afford to play as they liked. Some companies individually rented Vodafone space on their towers for a bit of cash but involvement in a commercial communications network was out of the question.

What a missed opportunity.

Thanks to El Reg I now know the JRC is still in existence; a bit like discovering a dinosaur is still alive !

Strange Failure

"but with DAB already offering a range of BBC content (thus with no advertising) and failing so badly"

It's true that DAB could be doing better but with 6.5m receivers it's outsold the iPod. Is that product 'failing so badly' too?