Everything Everywhere 4G launch put on ice
Last month I welcomed the fact that Ofcom had expedited the introduction of 4G in the UK by allowing Everything Everywhere to launch LTE services in advance of the UK’s forthcoming auction of 4G spectrum. Today, Everything Everywhere revealed its 4G plans in more detail. Under its new brand of “EE” it will offer LTE services [...]
Ofcom decision accelerates introduction of UK 4G
After years of delays to the introduction of fourth generation (4G) mobile services in the UK, yesterday Ofcom announced a decision that could see the launch of LTE services in the UK in the autumn of 2012. Ofcom has approved an application by Everything Everywhere to use its existing 1800MHz spectrum for the delivery of [...]
UK spectrum auction will shape mobile industry for many years to come
The forthcoming auction of 800MHz and 2.6GHz spectrum, and the associated licence conditions, will have a profound impact on the mobile industry in the UK. In its latest consultation and proposals, Ofcom highlights that the auction is “likely to be the last significant opportunity to obtain prime mobile spectrum for many years” and that the [...]
Good 3G news and bad 4G news for the UK mobile industry
There have been two interesting developments in the UK mobile industry this month – one definitely good news for the industry and its consumers, and one distinctly bad. Firstly, the good news! We have devoted quite a bit of attention in this blog to the poor state of 3G coverage in the UK. While having [...]
Ofcom announces auction of UK spectrum in first half of 2012
In his wireless blog, Mark Heath reviews Ofcom’s proposals for a UK auction of new mobile spectrum in 2012. Ofcom today announced plans for the largest-ever auction of spectrum for mobile services in the UK, with its latest consultation. It is planning to hold the auction as soon as practicable, which it currently anticipates to [...]
Ofcom report to Government could fall at first hurdle
In his wireless blog, Mark Heath expresses his concerns at Ofcom’s plans for a statutory report to the UK Government on the UK’s communication infrastructure. The UK Government’s Digital Economy Act 2010 gave Ofcom a new duty to provide a report to the Secretary of State every three years on the state of the UK’s [...]
New Ofcom report highlights key telecom trends
Mark Heath reviews the findings of Ofcom’s 2010 report on the international telecoms market. UK telecom regulator Ofcom published, in December 2010, a very interesting report on the international telecoms market, in which it compares the UK mobile industry with other countries. The report covers a variety of issues, including the current state of 3G [...]
Further delays for UK 4G as the 4G spectrum auction timetable is finally announced
Alastair Brydon, of telecom consultancy Unwired Insight, comments on the UK timetable for 4G spectrum allocation. Recently there has been a flurry of announcement of LTE launches in Europe, referred to by some as 4G networks. For example, this month, Tele2 and Telenor announced the commercial launch of LTE services in Sweden, with aggressive plans [...]
Ofcom must do more to foster high-quality mobile networks
In his wireless blog, Mark Heath, of Unwired Insight calls on Ofcom and the UK government to do more. Industry regulators will not escape budget cuts as the UK government attempts to control spending. The government announced last week that it will merge the telecommunications regulator (Ofcom) with the postal regulator (Postcomm) and several Ofcom [...]
UK to become a second-class LTE wireless nation?
In his wireless blog, Alastair Brydon of Unwired Insight worries that mobile users will become increasingly dissatisfied with their mobile broadband services. The latest twist in the long-running saga of UK spectrum modernisation came this week, as the Competition Appeal Tribunal upheld a decision by Ofcom, that Telefónica O2 and Vodafone must wait to refarm [...]
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