TelecomTV TelecomTV
  • News
  • Videos
  • Channels
  • Events
  • Directory
  • Smart Studio
  • Surveys
  • Debates
  • Perspectives
  • DSP Leaders World Forum
  • DSP Leaders
  • Great Telco Debate
    • |
    • Follow
    • |
    • Subscribe
  • |
  • More
  • Webcasts
  • Surveys
  • Debates
  • Perspectives
  • Great Telco Debate
  • |
  • Follow TelecomTV
  • |
    • Subscribe
    • |
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Follow TelecomTV
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Sign In Register Subscribe
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In
    • Register
  • Search

Mobile

TelecomTV TRACKER

Sourced by TelecomTV's TRACKER platform
from O2

Mobile

O2: Working with the regulator to build a stronger Mobile Britain

Via O2

Jun 29, 2019

Derek McManus, COO of O2 – Earlier this year, O2 and the other mobile operators wrote to Ofcom asking for a technical change to our spectrum licenses. This week Ofcom has said yes, and the result will be a huge connectivity boost for our country. Let me explain.

Ourselves, EE, Three and Vodafone all asked for changes to our 5G spectrum licenses (3.4-3.8 GHz) that would bring us in line with a recent technical decision in the EU.

The change allows operators to use ‘Active Antenna Systems’ (AAS) which help us deliver an even better network connection in busy areas. By Ofcom aligning the UK with the rest of the EU on this matter, it means we can make use of equipment that’s being sold in the EU and also means the manufacturers only need to build to one consistent standard.

This is a really important step that means a high-quality 5G service can be rolled out in the UK – a great outcome for the country as a whole.

This is just one example of where we’ve worked with the regulator to improve mobile connectivity across the country. Another current topic of debate is the defragmentation of spectrum.

We have been pressing Ofcom for a long time to facilitate spectrum trading immediately after the principal stage of the next spectrum award in order to secure adjacent blocks. This is often referred to as “contiguous spectrum” and it ’ s important in 5G, since it unlocks the full potential of this new technology, improving performance for customers.

Over the years, operators have picked up different blocks of airwaves. The regulator needs to intervene and create a process, which would potentially allow all operators to secure contiguous spectrum. I was therefore very pleased to see Ofcom change tack this week and say it is now minded to facilitate this through a short period of negotiation as part of the next auction. The regulator is currently consulting on ways of achieving this and we’ll be responding constructively and supportively.

This issue, along with the introduction of AAS shows the importance of working collaboratively with the industry and the regulator, in the interests of a more connected, truly mobile Britain.

That’s always been our focus at O2, and mine as COO – and it will continue to be the case as we look at the most effective ways of bringing better mobile connectivity to the country.

Related Topics
  • Announcement,
  • Europe,
  • Mobile,
  • O2,
  • Policy & Regulation,
  • Telco & CSP,
  • Tracker

More Like This

Access Evolution

What’s up with… Orange, Ericsson, Ofcom

Jan 25, 2021

Sustainability

Telenor heralds the ‘society-as-a-service’ age: dystopian nightmare or IT mission accomplished?

Jan 25, 2021

Coronavirus

O2 to help most vulnerable in Leeds with local device donation drive

Jan 25, 2021

5G

NEC claims mmWave distributed-MIMO technique triples simultaneous connections in office environments

Jan 25, 2021

Security

Irdeto’s report reveals 80% of healthcare tech providers have suffered a cyber attack

Jan 25, 2021

This content extract was originally sourced from an external website (O2) and is the copyright of the external website owner. TelecomTV is not responsible for the content of external websites. Legal Notices

Email Newsletters

Stay up to date with the latest industry developments: sign up to receive TelecomTV's top news and videos plus exclusive subscriber-only content direct to your inbox – including our daily news briefing and weekly wrap.

Subscribe

Top Picks

Highlights of our content from across TelecomTV today

1:4:29

Great Telco Debate: Live Debate – Day 2 (On-demand)

1:18:20

Great Telco Debate: Live Debate – Day 3 (On-demand)

43:08

Developing an ecosystem for vRAN

2:23

The TelecomTV Snapshot: The Great Telco Debate 2020 - CSP Highlights

  • TelecomTV
  • Decisive Media

TelecomTV is produced by the team at Decisive Media

Menu
  • News
  • Videos
  • Channels
  • Directory
  • Smart Studio
 
  • Surveys
  • Debates
  • Perspectives
  • Events
  • About Us
Our Brands
  • TelecomTV Tracker
  • TelecomTV Perspectives
  • DSP Leaders
  • DSP Leaders World Forum
  • The Great Telco Debate
Get In Touch
[email protected]
+44 (0) 207 448 1070

Request a Media Pack

Follow
  • © Decisive Media Limited 2021. All rights reserved. All brands and products are the trademarks of their respective holder(s).
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Legal Notices