EE and Three potentially delay 5G

Legal action could stall 5G rollout.

12:08 26 September 2017

The rollout of 5G in the UK could be delayed if potential legal action from EE and Three against a proposed 37per cent cap on spectrum holding goes ahead, analysts have warned. They added that this could potentially lower the UK’s standing in the global network operator stakes.

 

O2 CEO Mark Evans agrees, saying that legal would cause a delay. He also urged Ofcom to hold an auction for 2.3GHz spectrum while the 3.4GHz is contested.

 

Marc Allera, EE CEO, weighs in saying: “We’re proposing to Ofcom that the auction for ‘immediately usable’ 2.3GHz spectrum for 4G go ahead as soon as possible without our involvement,”

 

“But we cannot allow a competitor to opportunistically seek to further constrain our ability to invest in spectrum. We must protect our customers’ mobile experience, and keep the UK as a world leader in mobile.”  

 

CCS Insight principle analyst for operators Kester Mann (pictured right) said: “Three said this would hold the spectrum auction back by three months and given that standards haven’t been completed and 5G doesn’t launch until 2020, that sounds ambitious.

 

“It’s already [been] delayed significantly, and obviously that is not good for the UK and, in particular our ambition to potentially lead in 5G.”