Pentagon in battle for 3G airwaves

As the US prepares to set up its third-generation mobile phone networks, a three-way clash of the titans has erupted over control of the heavens.

In order to set up the long-awaited 3G-technology, the mobile operators have set their sights on particular strips of radio spectrum.

Unfortunately, those airwaves are already owned by the Pentagon and the Catholic Church, which are mounting stiff opposition.

Last year a global conference of governments met to designate a common strip of the airwaves to be used by all mobile operators in their individual countries.

In the UK, the airwaves were held by the Government, but did not serve any important purpose and could be sold off at a huge profit to the Treasury.

But in the US, that piece of spectrum is in regular use by the Pentagon, which has said it will not give up its patch.

The Defence Department uses the band to communicate with satellites and field installations, and has described the spectrum as "crucial to the warfighter's ability to successfully perform missions".

A report published at the end of last week by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) laid down the Pentagon's unflinching stance on the matter, and asserted that it could not shift key communications activities to other airwaves "without jeopardising national security".

Realising that the Pentagon may be hard to budge, the phone companies have targeted another strip of spectrum, but have come up against an equally implacable force.

The second-choice airwaves are currently used by a variety of religious institutions, including the Catholic Television Network.

The Catholic Church uses the channel to beam "instructional and spiritual programming into classrooms, homes and hospitals".

These players have launched their own lobbying campaign, which is being timed to coincide with the stonewall tactics of the Pentagon.

Catholic TV Network argues that the huge costs involved and the confusion caused to viewers by a move to another part of the spectrum would undermine the whole educational programme.