UK carriers want to accelerate LTE deployment

It all boils down to the auction time-table and rules. The four major carriers are lobbying telecom regulator Ofcom to revise the spectrum auction rules, arguing that streamlining the auction period, and reducing the time to reallocate existing spectrum, would mean LTE services would be going live in the spring of 2013 instead of autumn 2013.

Under the current plan, Ofcom would begin taking bids early next year. The winning bidders would rollout the new services in the fall of 2013. The carriers first want to shorten the bidding time-table, which seems a simple enough task if all interested parties are following the same game plan.

Then there is the task of clearing the spectrum to be auctioned, 800MHz and 2600MHz. Shortening the auction period is for naught if the plan to clear the spectrum is not also accelerated. Many of the carriers have a strong interest in seeing this through since EE announced their plans to light up their LTE network in 16 cities by the end of 2012. EE’s LTE network will be on a different spectrum block at 1800MHz.

If the major players come to an agreement, then it looks like there will be broader LTE deployment across the UK a lot earlier than planned.