Ofcom slated over 4G progression

By 4G Mobile Broadband

October

6

2011

According to recent reports the UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, has been slated by a business lobby group over the progression, or lack thereof, of 4G network rollouts in the UK.

It has been reported recently that the UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, has been slated by a business lobby group over the progression, or lack thereof, of 4G network rollouts in the UK. The verbal attack on the regulator has been launched by the Communications Management Association (CMA), which is made mainly of large businesses.

The group described the UK approach to 4G as ‘languid’ adding: ‘The outcomes fall a long way short of policy priorities for UK economic growth, the needs of citizens and communities and the localism implicit in the Big Society agenda.’ Referring to the continued delays with the 4G auction it added: ‘We see this as a toxic combination of regulatory timidity and the powerful self-interest of licence holders.’

The comments came after the culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said that it was taking too long for high speed networks to be built. He recently said: ‘Competition is the biggest driver of investment both at the retail and infrastructure level. But I do not believe the market is working as well as it should.’

The CMS also said that it looked like it would be more towards the end of the decade before 4G would be widespread in the UK. The group added: ‘Yet there is no evidence that mitigating technology such as national roaming on 3G is being actively considered by the regulator.’

Source – Mobile Today