Capacity Magazine – UK’s 5G spectrum auction raises £1.4bn
According to Bengt Nordstrom, the CEO of telecoms consultancy Northstream, the fact that operators paid “higher than expected” amounts for the spectrum could have a negative impact on consumer experience as it may impact further investments in 5G infrastructure.
He said: “The results of the auction confirm our view that the mobile industry has passed the stage where we should expect new entrants in national markets to build and launch new mobile networks that compete with the incumbents. This in turn makes the idea of a competitive spectrum auction even more strange. It was a given that the UK’s four incumbent operators would win the 5G licences – therefore why would Ofcom drive up the prices?”
