Ofcom has published the results of its assessment into whether or not the UK’s ‘big four’ mobile phone networks have met their 3G coverage obligations.
Although the 3G 2100MHz mobile spectrum licences originally only required networks to cover 80% of the UK population with 3G service, the government later increased this obligation to 90% population coverage. The deadline for meeting this requirement was 30th June 2013.
Calculations from Ofcom showed that EE, O2 and Three have complied but Vodafone fell 1.4% short of the 90% requirement.
Vodafone has now put plans in place to roll out 3G to more cell sites in order to meet its obligation by the end of December.
Ofcom says it won’t be taking any enforcement action at this stage but will assess Vodafone’s compliance in January 2014.
All of the UK’s major mobile networks finally achieved 80% population coverage with their 3G services in 2008, with O2 missing the original deadline of December 2007.
[Ofcom statement (pdf)]