You might have seen or heard about mobile phone spectrum in the news recently. It’s a topic that’s been brought into focus by the planned 4G spectrum auction due to take place next year, and it’s a subject that’s really important to us.
Why? Well, put simply, radio spectrum is the lifeblood of a mobile network. It’s the radiowaves that carry your mobile calls, send your texts and connect you to the internet, and as a result, the spectrum up for sale at next year’s auction will be hugely important in shaping the quality and type of services mobile networks will offer in the future.
Here’s a quick potted history of how spectrum has been distributed in the UK to date.
At the moment, Three only has a licence to use radiowaves in the 2.1Ghz frequency range. This bandwidth was auctioned by the Government in 2000 for mobile network operators to run 3G technology. Together Three, Orange, T-Mobile, O2 and Vodafone paid in excess of £22bn for the right to use it.
Other spectrum exists, of course, and a fair amount was allocated to Vodafone, O2, Orange and T- Mobile in the 1980s and ‘90s when they introduced the UK’s first 2G mobile services.
Vodafone and O2 each have spectrum in the wavelengths around 900Mhz. Vodafone and O2 also have a small quantity of 1,800Mhz spectrum, while T-Mobile and Orange (now under the combined name Everything Everywhere) have the rights to the rest of the 1,800MHz frequency band. These mobile operators pay a comparably smaller sum to the Government each year for the rights to use it.
Up until January this year, both the 900Mhz and 1,800Mhz bandwidth could only be used for 2G mobile phone services – i.e. the basic calls and texts. However in January this year Ofcom, which regulates the telecoms industry on behalf of the Government, decided to permit 3G services on all bandwidths.
They did this without charging the operators with the old legacy 2G spectrum holdings any more money for the advantage, and without redistributing the spectrum as other countries have done to ensure all the mobile networks have access to similar frequencies.
This change is significant, and in our view has created an imbalance in the UK mobile market. Suddenly, at no extra cost to them, four of the five operators have access to masses more spectrum for 3G data use, without the total amount of spectrum being balanced out amongst everyone.
So next year’s auction is important because it presents Ofcom with a unique opportunity to even things up by making two further bands of spectrum available. These are the 800Mhz bandwidth, currently being used by the analogue TV signal, and spectrum at 2.6Ghz – currently being used for some radar applications.
Naturally, we’re interested in both these frequencies, because they both offer considerable benefits to our customers and the services we can offer.
The lower the frequency the further the mobile signal will travel. So running 800Mhz on Three’s network of almost 13,000 base stations would enhance our current network coverage across the UK.
Meanwhile the higher 2.6Ghz frequency spectrum is great at carrying larger quantities of data – so again, add some of that to our network and the speed and capacity we can offer customers will soar – great news for smartphone users and those relying on our Mobile Broadband service to access the web.
Ultimately, of course, we also want the spectrum to ensure we can continue to lead the mobile internet revolution and bring to the market the kind of next generation technologies customers in other countries are already beginning to see – such as LTE or 4G.
Three’s focus has always been on opening up the advantages of smartphones and Mobile Broadband to as many people as possible – whether through pricing, coverage or convenience. For us, getting access to more spectrum, and pushing for next year’s auction not to be delayed unnecessarily, is about levelling the playing field and continuing with our ambition to help people discover those simple, new and exciting everyday things that make mobile so valuable to everyone.
65 Responses to Spectrum update.
Moderator: Johanna 29/01/2013
@Barathan – I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to that. Probably best to get some advice from 333 and they’ll be able to give you info on Home Signal and whether you’re eligible.
Barathan 28/01/2013
My house is having signal problems inside. If I buy a 2.1 Hz booster, technically should be ok?
Regards
Barathan
Moderator: Lauren 06/06/2012
@Rob – Hi there, if you send your full postcode (we won’t publish it) we can check for upgrades in your area. I can also check if you’ll get 2G fallback in your area too. Home Signal is currently only on offer to certain customers that meet specific criteria, if you call 333 (or 0843 373 3333) from another number you can request to speak to our 2nd line network support team who can advise if you are eligible.
Rob Shields 05/06/2012
Hey. I have just signed up with three on a rolling month contract having come out of a two year contract with O2. Due to living in a rural location I have kind of been forced down the O2 route as they were the only operator who I coud achieve a decent phone signal with at home presumably due to the lower frequencies they own allowing greater penetration into the building. That said I could never get a 3G signal in the local area. I have yet to activate my 3 sim card but am a little worried as the coverage checker states I may have issues inside with both data and voice. I assume now that 2g roaming has been de activated in my area and it is all or nothing in terms of the 3G signal. Also I know that 3 broadcast at 2100mhz which does not as readily penetrate buildings. I simply need to have service at home due to my profession. Aside from this worry everything else about three looks great including the current dual hspda upgrades to the networks plus ambitions to obtain a portion of the 800mhz band in the forthcoming lte auctions. In the event that I struggle with indoors reception would it be possible to get my hands on a home signal booster ?? I am waiting for the new iPhone to launch before committing to a new 2 yr contract and intend to use this period to find the best network for coverage and performance. If I could achieve a reliable signal at home with three I would readily sign up for 2 years. Your thoughts comments and opinions welcomed.
Moderator: Johanna 23/01/2012
@PeterW – Just checking this out for you…
PeterW 20/01/2012
If “3″ get access to spectra other than 21MHz, will we need new phones, dongles or MiFis to access it or are all “3″ devices designed to use other frequencies?
Mike B 18/01/2012
Regained our confidence in actually being in touch with each other. I meant to say.
Mike B 18/01/2012
It’s over 9 months now since we left Three and during those months have never had a situation with no signal.
Looking back on our time with Three I can almost see the Stockholm Syndrome of ‘justifying’ no signal periods as normal and something that could be lived with. (which we did for months after the Orange 2g switch off. All of this is a non issue now we have left and we have bregained
Dave 11/01/2012
Hi Mods,
This is my second post on the spectrum update forum.
It would appear the OFCOM are very keen to have 4 mobile operators bidding on the new spectrum , this being in their words to ensure there is healthy competition in the market. There is some useful information online in regards to some of the other operators stalling, indeed trying to hijack the auction for their own gain. I know you wont want me to name names but the two operators with the shortest and the longest names in the industry are responsible for this. People, please read the OFCOM literature available online and you will probably agree with my proposal which I outline below.
OFCOM ought to award the four operators each a maximum of 25% of the available spectrum to each of the 4 operators. This would put a stop to the bickering and delay that has resulted in us being vitrually the last country in the EU to adopt 4G technology. I think it is disgraceful the way that they have been allowed to stall this process for their own financial gain and was furious when I read the article. Some would say “what if an operator does not want to buy a 25% share” – simple answer is divide the remaining spectrum up between the operators that do.
Some of the other operators were gifted 2G spectrum in the 80s and 90s which they are being allowed to “reuse, and at little or no cost to them and this is why they are delaying the auction.
I am pleading with 3 at this point, this post might be seen as unsuitable for publication as the operators in question might see this as being comercially objectionable, if not published here I will post it elsewhere on the net, why, because it is a disgrace that OFCOM and the government are allowing them to hijack the process.
Stephen 05/01/2012
Let’s really hope you guys get lots nearly all let’s say 99.9% of the 800mhz & 2.6ghz spectrum because that’s not fair that’s the others should be hoging all the 800 & 1,800mhz spectrum yea I know that you can only use the 2.1ghz spectrum. The spectrum your using is brilliant for speed because I’m getting 2.6 mbps down 2.3 mbps up outside the 3Store Albert Sq Manchester today & that in my mind is bloody fantastic. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for my home the speeds have really really dropped since December but I use my.WiFi when I’m here anyway, but it would be brilliant to have mobile network speed there whenever I need it there’s factors in there somewhere so I won’t knock you, its going to be the weather, Feel free to email my if you can over this ta Keep your fantastic network performance
Moderator: Sedge 19/12/2011
@ Blair Pollard – Sorry to hear you’re having issues in your area. Could you send through your full postcode so I can look into this for you.
blair pollard 16/12/2011
Will this sort out you crappy network from going down every 2-3 days in my area this service is shocking.
When my contract is up unlimited data or no unlimited data im leaving i want a phone I CAN PHONE PEOPLE ON not just 999
Moderator: Kaz 16/12/2011
@Loyd – I can confirm there is no fair usage policy on the One Plan, the data is unlimited and is not restricted. All we ask is that its only used for personal use.
Lloyd 15/12/2011
In section 6.5 (d) of Pay Monthly Terms and Conditions, it says: ” You must not use 3 Services, the SIM or 3 phone number or allow anyone else to use 3 Services, the SIM or 3 phone number for illegal or improper uses. For example to download, send or upload content of an excessive size, quantity or frequency . We will contact you if your use is excessive.”
What does this mean regarding The One Plan? Is this a fair usage policy of some kind? I’m a little confused
Moderator: Johanna 15/12/2011
@Lloyd – Yes indeed