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2012-10-02 08:49:48
By Dave Lee Technology reporter, BBC News
A meeting about the UK's roll-out of 4G network services takes place later.
Mobile operators, Culture Secretary Maria Miller and communications regulator
Ofcom will discuss bringing forward the allocation of spectrum to allow faster
mobile download speeds.
Ahead of the meeting, Ofcom has told the government that the process could be
accelerated to launch 4G networks in many places by May or June.
It had been thought that it would take until the end of the year.
The move may appease O2 and Vodafone which had expressed anger that rival
network EE - formerly known as Everything Everywhere - had been given
permission to use its existing 1,800Mhz spectrum to launch a 4G service
earlier.
O2 had threatened legal action to prevent EE gaining this advantage.
A deal could pave the way for EE to announce its 4G launch date, which could be
before the end of this month.
'Clever move'
O2 and Vodafone will not be able to offer 4G until other parts of the radio
spectrum - including those previously used for analogue television and air
traffic control - are freed up and sold off.
The UK's fourth biggest network - Three - is set to take over part of EE's 4G
spectrum, but is not due to do so until September 2013.
Start Quote
Ofcom made quite a clever move by allowing EE to launch early
Matthew Howett Telecoms analyst
Ofcom has said it could bring forward its airwave auction by about a fortnight
from its current January date, and then speed up handover of control of the
frequencies.
That could help shrink EE's period of exclusivity to roughly half a year.
However, if the networks decide to pursue a legal challenge the process would
be delayed.
"Ofcom made quite a clever move by allowing EE to launch early," said Matthew
Howett, a telecoms analyst with Ovum. "Because it's now really set the wheels
in motion, and will see the others pull their fingers out."
A source at one major network told the BBC that it was also seeking a guarantee
from EE that it would not hinder the operation of Mitco, an organisation that
has been set up to deal with the possible interference 4G may have on other
signals such as digital television.
Mitco will eventually be run jointly by the mobile operators and will be tasked
with overseeing the distribution of filters and other equipment to prevent
disruption - a scheme which is expected to cost in the region of 180m.
iPhone 5
EE gave details of its 4G plans in a lavish press event last month, and said it
would offer 4G in 16 UK cities by the end of the year. However, it declined to
give a firm date on when the service would be open for use by the public.
That delay was in part caused by the fierce negotiations between Ofcom and the
other networks.
Maria Miller, culture secretary The meeting - which have been described as
"peace talks" - will be chaired by the culture secretary
The networks felt aggrieved that EE had been handed a considerable headstart in
the 4G race, while the other operators would have to wait until the outcome of
an auction before they can try and catch up lost ground.
Apple's latest iPhone, which launched the day after EE's 4G event, is available
on all the major networks - but only EE is able to offer customers 4G speeds on
the handset.
Ofcom has defended its decision, saying that to delay EE from launching 4G
would have been "to the detriment of consumers".
In contrast, O2 said they were "hugely disappointed" with the decision, while
Vodafone said: "The regulator has shown a careless disregard for the best
interests of consumers, businesses and the wider economy."
Ovum's Mr Howett said while EE may appear to have been given the early upper
hand, it still has a tricky marketing task ahead if it is to capitalise.
"I think it is about two things," he told the BBC. "One is about what the
pricing of 4G is going to be. EE would be be pretty mad to price people out of
it, so I suspect it'll be quite competitive.
"The second thing is the iPhone 5 impact. For me and a lot of other people the
iPhone 5 was very much an incremental upgrade. If people are in the market for
a new phone, and people who were on a two-year contract are looking to upgrade,
EE will say 'come to us'."