UK regulator: LTE networks won't be widespread until 2015

LTE networks won't become widely available in the U.K. until 2015, said U.K. telecom regulator Ofcom.

What's the hold up? Spectrum. In Ofcom's plan's statement of intention, the regulator said it will "continue to pursue a balanced approach that makes appropriate use of the tools at our disposal--both market mechanisms and regulatory intervention--to secure optimal use of the radio spectrum."

Existing mobile operators are squabbling over 4G spectrum. Operator 3 claims that Vodafone and O2, who already have access to a significant amount of spectrum below 1 GHz, shouldn't be given more spectrum. Vodafone and O2 argue that such a move would be anti-competitive and against European Union law.

Technically speaking, Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and other technologies threaten to interfere with 4G spectrum, and Ofcom said it needs additional time to resolve the threats.

For more:
- see this DSL Reports.com article

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