O2 Open 5G Network

O2 chief Mark Evans wants BT bosses to open its network to help mobile operators launch 5G.

15:51 27 June 2018

O2 chief Mark Evans, one of the most powerful men in the UK mobile industry, wants BT, which was forced to open its network to rivals Sky and Virgin last year, to do the same for mobile operators so they will be able to launch 5G or superfast mobile internet.

 

He said: 'Why should one sector be treated differently to another sector? I'd like to see Openreach give mobile players the same access to their infrastructure,' 

 

'That's a message we'll be putting forward to BT and the regulator. If the UK wants brilliant 5G coverage and services, then that's going to be critical.'

 

He added: 'If they're minded to help the UK accelerate innovation and drive 5G then they will. If they're looking to avoid competition and slow down investment, then maybe they'll kick it into touch and fight the battle with the regulator or maybe in the courts. I hope not.'

 

O2 is set to launch the first public testing site at the O2 Arena so people can see the benefits of 5G for themselves. 5G is the next generation mobile network and is expected to deliver super fast download and upload speeds and minimal latency. It is considered a building block to smart cities and other great innovations, including smart cars and smart homes.