The UK's leading mobile operators, including EE, Virgin Media O2, and VodafoneThree, have successfully acquired substantial 5G spectrum in Ofcom's recent principal-stage auction. Each company secured 800 MHz in the 26 GHz band and 1 GHz in the 40 GHz band. The commitments from each operator amounted to £13 million (€15 million), resulting in total proceeds of £39m (€46m).
These newly acquired airwaves are specifically intended to boost 5G capacity in high-traffic areas across 68 towns and cities throughout the UK. The subsequent assignment stage will determine the precise frequency positions for each operator. David Willis, Ofcom’s Group Director for Spectrum, stated: “Today’s results are an important milestone on the path to better, faster 5G. The large amount of spectrum we’ve released will help support innovation, open doors to new applications and growth, and can bring noticeable improvements to mobile services in busier places up and down the UK.”
Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media O2, commented that the purchase “pairs perfectly with our strategy to transform our mobile network,” He further emphasized that this high-frequency spectrum is “perfectly suited to delivering incredible connectivity in crowded places like the O2 arena and other stadiums, train stations and airports,” adding that the operator is “fired up and ready to deploy… at the right moment.”
Ofcom has announced that the final results of the auction, encompassing specific frequency positions and the total amounts paid by each operator, will be published following the conclusion of the assignment stage.