Ofcom deadline for £1.3bn 4G bidders

Published on 13/11/2012 00:00

Regulator Ofcom has given operators four weeks to register for the sale of “fourth generation” mobile airwaves next year.

It expects to raise a minimum £1.3 billion by auctioning the 4G spectrum, which allows internet speeds similar to home broadband.

EE, the owner of T-Mobile and Orange, is currently the only mobile operator in the UK with enough spectrum to offer 4G. Rivals Vodafone, Telefonica and Three are expected to be among the bidders for additional frequencies and could roll out their own services by May.