WiMax Showdown in New Zealand
At Stuff.co.nz, Tom Pullar-Strecker says wireless broadband company Woosh appears to have stalled a New Zealand Government auction of radio spectrum "by signaling that it would apply for a judicial review if the auction proceeded as planned."
"Communications Minister David Cunliffe announced earlier this month that the auction of a prized tract of radio spectrum that is suited for the delivery of high-speed WiMax broadband services would not take place in May, as expected," Pullar-Strecker writes. "He said the issues were complex and the Government was 'considering submissions from stakeholders.' But industry sources say a legal threat by Woosh was behind the last-minute delay."
Woosh currently has rights to spectrum in the 2.3 GHz band until 2010, which Pullar-Strecker says is key to the company's long-term survival. "The Government's decision in November to re-auction rights to the 2.3 GHz spectrum beyond 2010, without giving Woosh first right of refusal, threatens its plan to recast itself as a leading provider of WiMax and shocked the company," he writes.
More here from Geekzone … and more here from the New Zealand Herald.