O2 Possibly To Launch Legal Challenge of Everything Everywhere 4G Launch
O2 could launch a legal challenge of Ofcom’s decision to let Everything Everywhere launch 4G next month according to reports.
O2 is yet to comment on the speculation but the decision last week allowed Everything Everywhere to gain a vast advantage over its competitors.
The report appeared in a national newspaper and claimed that O2 parent Telefonica had written to Ofcom threatening to refer the decision to the Competition Appeals Tribunal.
At this point, there is no confirmation but if a legal challenge is made, this could possibly delay Everything Everywhere’s launch of 4G next month.
We also reported last week that the European Commission’s force sale of Everything Everywhere spectrum had allowed rival network Three to purchase 4G spectrum. Three has since confirmed that it plans to launch 4G early next year which is significant, as it is expected to be around the time that the 4G spectrum auction takes place.
Last week an O2 spokesperson said,
“The majority of customers will be excluded from the first wave of digital services. The decision undermines the competitive environment for 4G in the UK.”
A Vodafone spokesperson added:
“The regulator has shown a careless disregard for the best interests of consumers, businesses and the wider economy through its refusal to properly regard the competitive distortion created by allowing one operator to run services before the ground has been laid for a fully competitive 4G market.”
