UK will hold radio spectrum auction next year to aid 4G LTE expansion

November 8, 2014

UK communications regulator Ofcom has today announced more radio spectrum will be available at auction for mobile operators next year (or early 2016). The two bands that will be up for grabs are the 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz frequencies that will offer high data capacity for the increasing use of mobile connectivity.

The 2.3GHz band has been deployed in 10 countries outside Europe, including China, India and Australia. Already compatible with various mobile devices available today makes the auction an obvious option for Ofcom to work in more capacity for the UK. It's worth noting that the UK government is also looking to address signal issues as well as expanding the 4G LTE network.

Philip Marnick, Ofcom Spectrum Group Director, commented on today's announcement:

"Today marks an important step in ensuring that the UK has sufficient spectrum to support our wireless economy. It comes in response to the fast pace of change and innovation taking place in the communications sector, which is placing increased demands on how spectrum is used by all industries. One important way of meeting this demand is making new spectrum available and its use as flexible as possible."

To promote competition and keep everything on a level play field, Ofcom has proposed a safeguard cap to limit mobile operator mobile spectrum holdings to 37 percent. It's hoped this auction will help mobile operators further expand on 4G LTE deployment to ensure more consumers nationwide are able to enjoy faster data transfer speeds.

Source: Ofcom