Uk regulator Ofcom has announced the bidders in the forthcoming 4G mobile spectrum auction. Bidders will be competing to acquire spectrum in two separate bands – 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz to roll out 4G LTE mobile broadband services across the UK. Ofcom accepted applications to take part in the 4G auction on December 11 earlier this month.

The following companies have qualified to bid in the auction:

• Everything Everywhere Limited (UK)
• HKT (UK) Company Limited (a subsidiary of PCCW Limited)
• Hutchison 3G UK Limited
• MLL Telecom Ltd
• Niche Spectrum Ventures Limited (a subsidiary of BT Group plc)
• Telefónica UK Limited
• Vodafone Limited

Bidding will start in January 2013 and is likely to take place over a number of weeks before the final result of the auction is known. 

The lower frequency 800 MHz band is part of the ‘digital dividend’ freed up when analogue terrestrial TV was switched off, which is ideal for widespread mobile coverage. The higher frequency 2.6 GHz band is ideal for delivering the capacity needed to deliver faster speeds to large numbers of consumers in towns and cities across the UK. These two bands add up to 250 MHz of additional mobile spectrum, compared to 333 MHz in use today.