Companies approved to participate in Ofcom spectrum auction

The six companies that have been approved to take part in an upcoming spectrum auction have now been announced by Ofcom.

Ofcom is releasing 40 MHz of spectrum in the 2.3 GHz band to improve broadband for today’s mobile users.

It is also releasing 150 MHz of spectrum in the 3.4 GHz band to prepare for the rollout of future 5G services. The spectrum will be made available through an auction process, which Ofcom expects to start in late March.

The auction plans, announced last year, had been subject to legal challenge by both Three and BT/EE. The High Court rejected these claims in December 2017 and, earlier this month, the Court of Appeal refused Three permission to appeal that decision.

Ofcom is now pressing ahead with plans to hold the auction as quickly as possible.

It has assessed the applications received from companies wishing to take part in the auction, and is today publishing details of those that have qualified. They are:

• Airspan Spectrum Holdings
• EE
• Connexin
• Hutchison 3G UK
• Telefónica UK
• Vodafone

All qualified applicants now have three days to confirm whether they wish to take part or withdraw from the process. Ofcom will publish the final list of bidders that will be taking part once this period passes.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/djvstock

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