Wireless broadband service saved by takeover

Troubled UK wireless broadband firm Liberty Broadband has been taken over by fellow ISP Firstnet.

Liberty Broadband customers were informed over the weekend of the change, which will see the high-speed fixed wireless service renamed as Wireless DSL. It follows Liberty Broadband's move into liquidation late last year, provoking fears that the service could collapse altogether.

Firstnet did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but according to reports customers will now be charged £29.99 per month, a reduction of £10 per month on Liberty Broadband's pricing plan.

Liberty Broadband, formerly known as Tele2, operated its broadband fixed wireless service in several parts of the UK, including Bath, Basingstoke, Birmingham, Bristol, Crystal Palace, Guildford, Sheffield, Slough and Uxbridge. It used various frequencies between 3.6GHz and 4.2GHz.

Ironically, given Liberty Broadband's problems, the government plans to auction off the 3.4GHz spectrum in May this year to companies who could use the bandwidth for wireless broadband services.

Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.