Three CEO laments Ofcom decision to drop low-frequency guarantee at 4G auction

Three wants sub-1GHZ spectrum guarantee

The CEO of mobile network Three, David Dyson, has lamented Ofcom's decision to drop the guarantee of sub-1GHZ spectrum for a fourth operator in the upcoming 4G auction.

Ofcom said in its initial proposals in March last year that it would guarantee sub-1GHZ spectrum for a fourth, smaller operator, which could have been Three.

However, Ofcom dropped the promise of guaranteed spectrum to a fourth operator in January, saying that the "technical advantages of sub-1GHZ are unclear".

Speaking at a Westminster e-Forum on the future of mobile today, Dyson said the benefits of the low-frequency spectrum sub-1GHZ are clear and suggested Ofcom's proposals are flawed because of the technical modelling on which they are based.

Dyson said Three is hoping Ofcom will re-evaluate its stance and urged the regulator to follow regulators in Europe that have reallocated or re-auctioned the low-frequency spectrum for networks in their respective countries.

The sub-1GHZ spectrum has been taken out of the 4G spectrum auction that will take place at the end of the year.

The auction will see major mobile networks Vodafone, Everything Everywhere and O2 bid for spectrum alongside a still unnamed fourth operator.

Ofcom is due to publish information about the 4G auction rules this summer.