Ofcom has set out a timetable for the auction and provision of next-gen LTE wireless real estate in the UK.
The process of auctioning and implementing the 800MHz and 2.6GHz spectrum won’t come to anything like a swift conclusion, however.
Ed Richards, CEO of Ofcom, told V3.co.uk: “We expect parliament to consider the draft legislation laid before it within the next week or so, directing release of this spectrum and paving the way for the creation of new LTE networks in the UK.”
Consultation will begin early next year, followed by the actual auctions at the start of 2012. However, the new LTE networks aren’t expected to begin operating until around the start of 2014.
LTE will of course offer much faster mobile surfing speeds, to the tune of the 100Mbps that Virgin is rolling out with its cable at the start of next month (and BT in the spring of next year). Although as with current broadband, in terms of real world performance, it’s guaranteed to be a lot slower and less reliable than its land piped equivalent.
