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Dave Dyson piles pressure on Ofcom, says fair access to frequencies is critical.
3UK chief executive Dave Dyson repeated his call for Ofcom to limit the amount of spectrum any single operator can own when the telco regulator auctions off a raft of frequencies next year.
"3 believes fair access to spectrum is critical for a better mobile market for everyone. It’s key for a thriving U.K. digital economy and for continued innovation in mobile," the operator said, in a statement.
Ofcom plans to auction 40 MHz of 2.3-GHz spectrum and 150 MHz of 3.4-GHz spectrum for mobile broadband. The process was initially expected to take place this year, but that now looks doubtful given the telco regulator plans to hold another consultation this autumn regarding the auction rules.
"3 is calling on Ofcom to put a cap in place so that no one network can own more than 30% of the airwaves post-auction," 3UK said.
With BT owning more than 40% of the U.K.’s available mobile spectrum, and Vodafone owning 29%, their participation in the auction would be severely limited if 3’s lobbying proves successful.
3UK had hoped to address the imbalance by merging with O2 UK, but the proposed deal was blocked by the European Commission in May.
"The U.K. has one of the most uneven distributions of spectrum across Europe. Under the current set-up, networks are able to stockpile vital mobile airwaves to the detriment of competition, choice and quality for consumers," 3UK said.
3’s latest clarion call was made alongside the presentation of its first half results.
Revenue for the six months to 30 June edged down 2% year-on-year to £1.05 billion (€1.26 billion), as declining handset revenue offset growth in service revenue. Net customer service margin improved to £671 million from £646 million, helping to drive a 12% improvement in EBITDA, which came in at £348 million.
3UK’s active customer base increased to 9.16 million from 8.81 million a year earlier. Contract subscriptions increased to 6.06 million from 6.02 million, while prepaid users grew to 3.1 million from 2.78 million.
