Ofcom announces seven bidders participating in upcoming UK 4G spectrum auction
Ofcom has announced seven bidders participating in the upcoming UK 4G spectrum auction.
The bidders are EE, BT, Vodafone, O2, Three, Hong Kong conglomerate PCCW and UK network supplier MLL Telecom.
Regulator Ofcom says the UK 4G auction is due to start next month, with licenses granted to the participators by March and 4G services launching from May and June onwards.
EE is the only company to have 4G in the UK already, which runs on its 1,800 MHz frequency.
The complete list of bidders is:
- EE, which launched the first UK 4G service using existing bandwidth on 30 October
- PCCW, a major Hong Kong telecoms conglomerate, operating through its subsidiary HKT
- Hutchison Whampoa, another Hong Kong conglomerate and operator of the 3 network
- MLL Telecom, a telecom network supplier founded in 1992 and based in Buckinghamshire
- Niche Spectrum Ventures, a subsidiary of British Telecom
- Telefonica, the Spanish telecoms company that owns the O2 network
- Vodafone
Ed Richards, Ofcom Chief Executive said:
“The 4G auction will be a competitive process that will dictate the shape of the UK mobile phone market for the next decade and beyond.
“New 4G services will stimulate investment, growth and innovation in the UK, and deliver significant benefits to consumers in terms of better, faster and more reliable mobile broadband connections.”
