Irish WiMAX provider AirSpeed Telecom has acquired Magnet Networks’ wireless spectrum licence, The Irish Times reports. The deal will enable AirSpeed to expand its nationwide WiMAX broadband services in the coming months; AirSpeed was awarded 10.5GHz radio spectrum licences by the regulator ComReg for Dundalk, Portlaoise, Wexford and Waterford in July 2009, and more recently was issued with multiple lots of 26GHz spectrum licences which will significantly increase capacity in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway for uncontended high bandwidth services.
‘This acquisition has allowed us to augment the spectrum we have to add more capacity so we can connect more customers and do a technology refresh,’ said AirSpeed managing director Liam O’Kelly. ‘It also means that we can provide a lower entry point to our services for customers who may not require a higher-capacity leased line.’ As a result of the deal with Magnet AirSpeed now owns a 3.5GHz Fixed Wireless Access Local Area (FWALA) spectrum licence covering Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. It is understood Magnet will maintain its relationship with its customers using the frequency, but with AirSpeed now providing the service as a wholesaler. AirSpeed Telecom, which began trading in November 2003, employs 30 at offices in Sandyford in Dublin and at Model Farm Road in Cork.