Ofcom enables mobile operators to reuse spectrum for 4G services

Vodafone, O2 and Three given boost by communications regulator

Mobile operators Vodafone, O2 and Three will be able to use their existing 2G and 3G radio spectrum to offer 4G services, Ofcom has confirmed.

The communications regulator had already given mobile operator EE the green light to use its existing 1800MHz spectrum to deliver 4G services back in August last year.

This was after EE's rivals pushed Ofcom to undertake a consultation to determine whether EE was given an unfair competitive advantage, by having a head start in offering 4G services.

Ofcom said that varying EE's 1800MHz licences would "deliver significant benefits to consumers, and that there is no material risk that those benefits will be outweighed by a distortion of competition. Delaying doing so would therefore be to the detriment of consumers".

This allowed EE to push ahead and launch 4G services last year, while O2, Vodafone and Three had to wait until after January's 4G auction to launch their LTE services - something that has still not happened.

"Ofcom's statement ‘liberalises' all mobile licences in the 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz bands to permit the deployment of LTE and WiMAX (4G) services, where such licences have not already been liberalised. It also permits an increase in the maximum permitted base station transmit power in the 900MHz frequency band for 3G and 4G technology," the communications regulator said.

The decision will mean that the mobile networks can plan and implement moves to 4G technology in these mobile licence bands without having to submit future regulatory applications.