EE, Virgin Media O2 and VodafoneThree each secured 800 MHz in the 26 GHz band and 1 GHz in the 40 GHz band in Ofcom’s principal-stage auction for 5G capacity.
The companies have each committed £13 million (€15 million).
Total proceeds were £39m (€46m). The airwaves are intended to enhance 5G capacity at high-demand locations across 68 towns and cities, with the assignment stage to determine exact frequency positions next.
David Willis, Ofcom’s Group Director for Spectrum, said: “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, said the purchase “pairs perfectly with our strategy to transform our mobile network,” adding that high-frequency spectrum is “perfectly suited to delivering incredible connectivity in crowded places like the O2 arena and other stadiums, train stations and airports,” with the operator “fired up and ready to deploy… at the right moment.”
Ofcom said final results, including specific frequency positions and total amounts paid, will be published after the assignment stage concludes.
