Mobile Networks
In 1979 Jersey's first radio paging network was introduced using a Motorola campus type system (Jersey is small enough for such a system) over 600 pagers were issued in the first year of operation. It was upgraded in 1986 to a two channel system and in 1987 text messaging was added. This service is now operated by Jersey Airport under its telecommunications licence. Jersey Airport also operates the island's TETRA mobile network on behalf of the local emergency services.
JT's first analogue mobile service was introduced in 1987 in collaboration with Cellnet (now O2) and ran until June 1999. The network supported over 3,000 local customers by the time JTintroduced its own GSM digital network at the end of 1994. GPRS was made available under the brand name Pepper during 2003 and MMS messaging in 2004.
In 2005 the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority (JCRA), the Jersey Telecommunications Regulator, in cooperation with Ofcom, the UK telecommunications authority with responsibility for spectrum allocation in the Channel Islands under the Communications Act 2003 and Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 extended by Order in Council, allotted a 3G spectrum license to JT and 2G and 3G spectrum licenses to Cable and Wireless Jersey, Jersey Airtel and COLT Telecom Group plc to operate mobile services in Jersey. The COLT Jersey company was later purchased by Marathon Telecom Limited which now holds the spectrum license. JT introduced its 3G services in July 2006.
JT are presently providing a 14.4 M bits/sec service using high speed download packet access.
On 13 September 2006 Cable & Wireless Jersey introduced its Sure mobile network operating both 2G and 3G services.
In May 2007 Jersey Airtel announced a partnership with Vodafone and launched a new brand Airtel-Vodafone in preparation for its network launch. The Airtel-Vodafone network went live on 28 June 2007. Airtel-Vodafone now also offers a wireless landline product enabling users to have 01534 numbers connected through its mobile network. This product does not permit roaming outside the Channel Islands.
Read more about this topic: JT Group Limited
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