Ofcom: UK can raise its game on mobile signals

The watchdog said the next generation of 5G services could be available in the UK 'well before' 2025

Ofcom wants the next generation of 5G mobile phone services to be available in the UK ‘well before’ 2025 (EPA)

Mobile phone coverage must improve and new obligations to provide better signals to rural areas could be included in future spectrum sales, according to the industry regulator.

As part of its 10-year digital communications review, Ofcom added that the next generation of 5G services could be available in the UK “well before” 2025.

It said: “The global mobile industry’s focus is now on developing the next improved technical standard for mobile networks [known as 5G]. We are confident that investment in 5G will be made if the UK continues to benefit from real competition between its four national network providers.”

The report found that 4G coverage expanded from 37 per cent to 46 per cent of the country in 2015, and a condition of O2’s 4G licence is that it must offer indoor coverage to 98 per cent of UK premises by 2017, including 95 per cent coverage in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

There have been concerns raised that with the imminent merger of Three and O2, competition could be compromised, but Ofcom said: “If competition becomes ineffective, including through mergers or takeovers, we are prepared to intervene to prevent consumer harm.”

It added: “If consumers are worse off as a result… We will not hesitate to step in if we see consumer detriment.”

The next spectrum sale – of the 700 MHz band – is expected in two to three years and is likely to raise hundreds of millions of pounds in revenues for the Treasury.

Source: Enders Analysis

Ofcom said it will be available for use by the end of 2021 and is “particularly well suited to providing better coverage”. But it added: “We will also look to include new obligations in future spectrum licences to ensure rural coverage continues to improve.”

The watchdog also said that the UK’s phone coverage is among the best in Europe, with 93 per cent of UK premises receiving outdoor 2G coverage from all operators, and 3G coverage standing at 88 per cent.

However, it pointed out that the UK is still a long way behind the US and South Korea, where 4G coverage levels reached 99 per cent three years ago.