James Walsh, Senior Associate, Telecoms Team and
Charlotte Walker-Osborn Head of TMT Sector
What? Concerns Were Raised In March Of This
Year That The 4G Auction Might Be Delayed
So What? Concerns Were Raised In March Of This
Year That The 4G Auction Might Be Delayed. Ofcom Announced That It
Intended To Ensure That At Least Four Mobile Operators Would Be
Able To Provide LTE (Long Term Evolution) Services In The UK. To
Achieve This It Introduced Minimum Spectrum Floors, But In June Of
This Year One Of The Major Network Operators Alleged That These
Proposals Constitute A State Aid And Are Therefore Illegal Under
European Union Law. This Issue, Combined With The High Proportion
Of UK Households That Rely On Digital Terrestrial Television Which
Will Need To Be Relocated Before 4G Can Be Rolled Out, Has
Contributed To The Potential Delay.
