Broadband News
News, views and analysis
Mobile broadband spectrum legislation expected this month in UK
02 Nov 2010 | 10.30 Europe/London
It has taken three years or wrangling and a last minute decision by Everything Everywhere not to sue the Government, but finally legislation is due to be published this month to allow radio spectrum freed by the switch to digital television to be auctioned in 2012 and repurposed for mobile broadband services.
It is not yet clear whether Everything Everywhere has been given assurances over a cap on the total amount of valuable low frequency spectrum a single company can own. However, the company, formed by the merger of Orange and T-Mobile, has decided to put its effort in to shaping the rules suggested in this month’s legislation rather than seek retribution through the courts.
The argument goes back to the first provision of mobile licences. Vodafone and, what is now, O2 were given 900Mhz licences which, being a low frequency, would offer good coverage for the country’s first mobiles. When they were joined by two players which have now merged to form Everything Everywhere, 1800Mhz licences were granted and when the country’s five 3G licences were issued, 2.2Ghz spectrum was awarded.
With mobile broadband a key component of pushing 3G and, later, 4G services in to rural areas who are unlikely to receive fibre, the pressure has been on the previous and current Government to use the ‘digital dividend’ of 800Mhz spectrum, released by the switchover to digital television, to give mobile broadband operators the necessary low frequency, long distance airwaves necessary.
Everything Everywhere’s big bone of contention, however, is that if Vodafone and O2 are to keep their 900Mhz spectrum, and not ‘refarm’ any to rivals, they should not be allowed to bid for 800Mhz licences because this would give the pair an unfair advantage.
Through dropping its legal action to place a cap on Vodafone and O2 the merged mobile operator must be hoping, or may even have been privately assured, that when legislation is published before the end of the month, Vodafone and O2 will not be able to dominate both the existing 900Mhz wavebands as well as the to be released 800Mhz spectrum.
All four British mobile operators, and possibly new entrants, will now be watching out for the legislation which the Government will hope to put an end to bitter wrangling and see faster mobile broadband services with better reach rolled out across the country.
It is not yet clear whether Everything Everywhere has been given assurances over a cap on the total amount of valuable low frequency spectrum a single company can own. However, the company, formed by the merger of Orange and T-Mobile, has decided to put its effort in to shaping the rules suggested in this month’s legislation rather than seek retribution through the courts.
The argument goes back to the first provision of mobile licences. Vodafone and, what is now, O2 were given 900Mhz licences which, being a low frequency, would offer good coverage for the country’s first mobiles. When they were joined by two players which have now merged to form Everything Everywhere, 1800Mhz licences were granted and when the country’s five 3G licences were issued, 2.2Ghz spectrum was awarded.
With mobile broadband a key component of pushing 3G and, later, 4G services in to rural areas who are unlikely to receive fibre, the pressure has been on the previous and current Government to use the ‘digital dividend’ of 800Mhz spectrum, released by the switchover to digital television, to give mobile broadband operators the necessary low frequency, long distance airwaves necessary.
Everything Everywhere’s big bone of contention, however, is that if Vodafone and O2 are to keep their 900Mhz spectrum, and not ‘refarm’ any to rivals, they should not be allowed to bid for 800Mhz licences because this would give the pair an unfair advantage.
Through dropping its legal action to place a cap on Vodafone and O2 the merged mobile operator must be hoping, or may even have been privately assured, that when legislation is published before the end of the month, Vodafone and O2 will not be able to dominate both the existing 900Mhz wavebands as well as the to be released 800Mhz spectrum.
All four British mobile operators, and possibly new entrants, will now be watching out for the legislation which the Government will hope to put an end to bitter wrangling and see faster mobile broadband services with better reach rolled out across the country.