O2 blasts Ofcom 4G plans
March 23, 2012
O2 has voiced its anger at Ofcom for giving Everything Everywhere provisional approval to rollout a 4G network. O2 has said that Ofcom is contradicting itself by allowing Everything Everywhere to rollout 4G using its 1800MHz spectrum before its rivals. O2 believes this gives Everything Everywhere an unfair advantage which goes against Ofcom’s aim to deliver a competitive market.
The firm said in a statement: ” We are concerned that Ofcom’s other proposal to allow one operator to launch 4G early on its existing spectrum is contradictory to its objective of delivering a competitive market environment with four competing players. This could expose the process to further risk of delay.”
The statement commended Ofcom for originally stating that the UK must have a competitive market and would stop mobile operators making strategic moves in regards to spectrum allocation. However, in O2’s opinion the recent decision giving Everything Everywhere the green light conradicts this objective.