Glickman told Berger that IEC was ready and able to offer the electricity grid for the venture, and that the venture would solve the shortage of 4G frequencies. He described the company’s 4,400-kilometer grid of high-tension power lines, 27,000-kilometer distribution grid, and more than 400,000 utility poles, which could be used. He added that IEC had experience in providing the electricity infrastructure for telecommunications purposes and that 170 mobile base stations were already based on its grid.

Glickman said that the grid infrastructure was the basis for the IBC fiber optic venture, and that active site sharing would allow rapid and inexpensive deployment of 4G nationwide without fear of harming competition. He said this was the best of all alternatives.

IEC is offering active sharing of the mobile access network on the electricity grid, an access network which would serve all mobile carriers. The 4G frequencies spectrum would be allocated to the access network operator, rather than to the carriers, achieving efficient exploitation of the spectrum. It added that it could offer a massive deployment of tens of thousands of small base stations (antennas) over its distribution grid. These antennas would fit on utility poles and improve indoor reception while reducing the public’s exposure to radiation.

Glickman said that the proposal would slash set-up costs, which would be shared by everyone, while IBC would be responsible for control and management. He said that the first sites could be made available within a year and nationwide deployment via IBC could be completed within two years.

Glickman confirmed that he is promoting this initiative, which has been submitted to Berger, and that a meeting had been held. He declined to elaborate.