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Vodafone threatens legal action against Ofcom over spectrum cap in next auction


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Old 11-07-2016, 16:33
Everything Goes
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Vodafone is threatening legal action against Ofcom imposing a spectrum cap on mobile operators. This should slow down future auctions and is a well use tactic unfortunately.

The changes may prevent big money players from outspending others to get the lion’s share of bandwith, leaving smaller players less able to compete.

Three’s Chief Executive Dave Dyson has campaigned for these rule changes to include a 30% spectrum cap, meaning any player with more than this amount would be forced to sell back exceeding bandwidth. This would negatively affect EE who have over 40% and possibly Vodafone, who are already close to this limit even before the auction.

Vodafone UK head Jeroen Hoencamp said ‘Of course we will oppose it, and we are looking at it now.’
http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/news/in...e-changes.aspx
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Old 11-07-2016, 16:57
moox
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Hopefully it can be resolved quickly, so that we don't end up several years late to the party like we did with 4G
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Old 12-07-2016, 10:48
enapace
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I'm sorry but this is three spitting the dummy out because EU Commission decided against there merger. Such a cap would mean 2 of the 4 operators in the UK wouldn't be able bid for spectrum. Ofcom surely won't agree to that in a month of Sunday's if Three had even tried to bid for spectrum in 4G auction I might understand but they didn't. They got handed there 800MHz for the reserve price and EE gave them there 1800MHz.
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Old 12-07-2016, 13:08
jchamier
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EE gave them there 1800MHz.
EE was required to sell (not give) their 1800 to meet the merger conditions of Orange and Tmobile.
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Old 12-07-2016, 13:32
enapace
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EE was required to sell (not give) their 1800 to meet the merger conditions of Orange and Tmobile.
Yeah but what I'm saying is that Three basically paid a lot less than any of the other 3 providers for there 4G spectrum. Not saying EE didn't choose to give the spectrum to three but that's what happened Three didn't buy the 1800MHz
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Old 12-07-2016, 14:47
jchamier
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Yeah but what I'm saying is that Three basically paid a lot less than any of the other 3 providers for there 4G spectrum. Not saying EE didn't choose to give the spectrum to three but that's what happened Three didn't buy the 1800MHz
Gotcha - I always thought they paid EE for it; guess not.
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Old 12-07-2016, 15:54
packages
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Gotcha - I always thought they paid EE for it; guess not.
I always thought that EE had to give them some bandwidth for free (in 2 blocks) as a term as Orange and T-Mobile merging.
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Old 12-07-2016, 17:01
jaffboy151
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Problem with all this is that on both sides it looks like sour grapes & tactics, three barely bid for any 4g yet still has a reasonable amount now, but not exactly using it to the max, why go out the way to ensure they get more, Vodafone just seem to be using spectrum capacity in the same way large supermarket chains buy huge areas land in towns and cities with no intention to use them just to keep rivals away and offset profits, the only 2 using what they have properly it seems is O2 & EE, O2 basically has no spectrum because Telefonica is broke and is using O2's profits to help bail some other areas, while it tried to sell it. So has to make good use of what little, EE is making a use of the massive amount it has and plans to use more of it in the future, so while it makes sense to restrict Vodafone, any such restrictions could harm EE unfairly, at the same time why give three who are small yes, but have massive backing preferentially treatment yet again when they are not putting what they've been 'given' previously to the best use.
One thing that could be in put in place to help sort things, could be something similar to what dab operators have to do when bidding for control of mux's is publish intended coverage maps/ how they intend to use the spectrum, then time & percentage requirements could be conditional on winning & retaining the spectrum.
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Old 12-07-2016, 18:48
corf
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With Vodafone running 4g on 800mhz, 1800mhz, 2100mhz and 2600mhz shouldn't we be looking at total spectrum rather than naming it per technology.

Isn't all the allocated UK spectrum ITU 4g spectrum?
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