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Vodafone pretends it's doing you a favour by not upping prices mid-contract
Vodafone took to its blog today to affirm a commitment: customers on any pay-monthly plan will never see its cost increase mid-contract. Three saw this as an opportunity to tweet about its identical policy, but haven't we heard all this before? But of course we have, when new Ofcom rules came into effect in January that meant anyone could dodge early termination fees and ditch their contract should prices go up during the agreed term. O2's found something of a loophole by adding a clause to contracts that has you agree to price hikes in line with inflation, while EE's simply played ball. Unlike Three, Vodafone's never actually spoken out in agreement before, but the network isn't doing you as much of a favour as it'd have you think. If prices were to shoot up mid-contract, it'd mean lost business, so the commitment is very much in Vodafone's interest. Let's be frank -- if anyone's really to thank for the carrier's new honourable stance, it's Ofcom.
EE, Orange and T-Mobile phone bills set to rise on May 28th
If you missed the postman this morning, then we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you might be returning home to a letter detailing an imminent increase to your monthly mobile phone bill. As of May 28th, customers on EE's 4G network or the 3G sub-brands Orange and T-Mobile will be expected to fork out another 2.7 percent on top of what they're already paying each month -- the charges for anything beyond your allowance will go up slightly, too. We'll leave you to crunch the numbers, but basically the price hike is in line with inflation, meaning you kind of agreed you'd be cool with it when signing those T&Cs you read so thoroughly. If you want to cancel your contract, then, we're afraid you'll be paying early termination fees. If you signed a new contract or upgraded after January 23rd this year, however, then nothing's going to change for you. Under Ofcom's rules -- the ones O2 ain't following -- anyone in that situation could exit their contract scot-free, and EE'd likely prefer the business. If only our data caps rose with inflation, too.
UK carrier finds loophole to let it increase prices mid-contract (updated)
Well, that didn't take long. It's a matter of hours since the UK telecoms regulator Ofcom brought in new rules to protect mobile customers from mid-contract tariff increases, and already one network has ducked them by changing its T&Cs. As of today, any customer who signs up with O2 must explicitly agree that their tariff will go up each year in line with inflation, starting with a 2.7 percent increase on March 1st. By contrast, customers who had signed up before today had only been told that prices might go up with inflation. Why is this so ironic? Because, indirectly, Ofcom's involvement seems to have turned a possible price increase into a definite, contractual one, whereas the original intention was to ensure that "fixed means fixed." Anyhow, in O2's defense, it hasn't breached Ofcom's code, and other carriers may well be planning to do the exact same thing. [Thanks, Anon] Update: Unsurprisingly, other carriers are now making their feelings on the news public. In a statement, Three UK has announced that it'll follow the spirit of Ofcom's code, and won't push your prices up part-way through your contract.
UK planes, trains and boats could get 'superfast' satellite internet later this year
Sure, in-flight internet has its perks, but it's not available everywhere and it can be a little slow. To push things forward, at least in the UK, Ofcom has approved the use of satellite-based technologies on planes, trains and boats, enabling "superfast broadband speeds" while on the move. The regulator said it has set aside a large amount of high-frequency spectrum (4,128 MHz worth) specifically for vehicle-mounted "earth stations," giving airline, train and ferry operators the chance to deliver speeds up to 10 times faster than before. In the past, operators have used air-to-ground 3G stations or other satellite-based platforms to provide internet to customers. Ofcom, however, is backing a technology that enables operators to track satellites more closely and make it easier to maintain speedier and more reliable connections while in the air or on the water. In the US, airlines like JetBlue have already taken in-flight internet to the next level, utilizing the ViaSat-1 satellite to provide travelers with faster speeds as part of its Fly-Fi service. So when can UK travelers expect faster internet during their travels in the UK? The regulator says it expects to open applications for ship-mounted and aircraft-based earth stations next month. Trains are exempt, however, because they're land-based, which means we could see operators offer commercial services before the end of this year.
UK mobile phone users to get free 0800 calls by mid-2015
Ofcom, the UK's communication regulator, has toyed with the idea of making freephone numbers free to call from mobiles for over two years, but now it's finally looking to put that plan into action. In an effort to clear up confusion over call charges, the regulator announced it intends to bring mobile freephone calls in line with landlines, letting everyone in the UK call 0800, 0808 and 116 numbers for no charge. It's been a long time coming: Ofcom actually began conducting research into call charges in November 2011, but the new guidance comes with a few extra cost-cutting measures when it goes into effect. By June 2015, Ofcom will introduce caps on premium rate calls and clarify the cost of calls to 0845 numbers, encouraging transparency and giving people a clear of idea of how much they'll be debited when they pick up the phone.
Vodafone UK fails to reach imposed minimum 3G coverage, will fix by 2014
If UK folks on Vodafone find themselves without 3G in some places, it's because the telcom has failed to reach the minimum geographical coverage imposed by Ofcom. In 2010, the government-directed mobile regulator required the expansion of 3G networks until they cover the area where 90 percent of the population lives come 2013. While O2, Three and EE all passed muster after the June 30th deadline, Ofcom has discovered that the British-owned telcom missed the goal by 1.4 percent. The watchdog's report didn't detail why the carrier failed to meet the target, but it was implied that the company made a faulty estimate on how many 3G-capable mobile masts it needed. Worry not, o ye Vodafone faithful -- the provider plans to convert roughly 100 more 2G sites to 3G in order to comply to Ofcom's standards (and avoid paying penalty) by January 2014. [Image credit: Iain Patterson, Flickr]
UK carriers will be forced to let customers ditch mobile contracts if they raise prices
No one likes a price hike, especially mid-contract. Neither does UK regulator Ofcom it seems, which is setting out new policy clarification for mobile, broadband and landline suppliers. The guidance is to prevent different "interpretations" of existing policy, and will ensure customers can leave their contracts -- without penalty -- if prices are raised during a their contract. No one can argue that's not good for consumers, but it won't come into place for three months, and only applies to contracts taken out after that. It also doesn't apply to other general changes in terms and conditions, or when price goes up due to other factors (exceeding a data bundle etc). Still, come the new year, signing on that dotted line should give folk in the UK a little less anxiety.
Ofcom considers quadrupling mobile operator license fees (updated)
It currently costs the big four of EE, Vodafone , O2 and Three UK £64.5 million a year in licensing fees to do business in the UK, but Ofcom is currently weighing-up plans to quadruple those charges. After calculating the value of the spectrum based on the bids received in the 4G auction, the regulator wants to increase Vodafone and O2's annual rent to £83.1 million, Three UK to £37.5 million and EE to a whopping £101.7 million. Of course, the plans are currently in the consultation stage, which'll run through to December 19th, but we hope that someone points out the likelihood of the cost being passed down to users. Update: Ofcom has gotten in touch to add that the new tariffs were calculated in proportion to the payments received for the 4G spectrum auction.
British highway to become internet-connected 'network of sensors' over 50-mile stretch
In a team-up between the UK's Department of Transport, BT and Cambridge start-up Neul, the A14 (which connects Felixstowe to Birmingham) will be transformed into the country's first internet-connected road, with the aim of preparing the country for future tech from wireless toll chargers to automated cars. The smart road will include a network of sensors across a 50-mile segment, with data transmission delivered over white space. Ofcom approved the project yesterday, alongside its plans for the rest of the spectrum space. According to the regulator, "sensors in cars and on the roads monitor the build-up of congestions and wirelessly send this information to a central traffic control system, which automatically imposes variable speed limits that smooth the flow of traffic," Ofcom said. "This system could also communicate directly with cars, directing them along diverted routes to avoid the congestion and even managing their speed." Initial plans for the A14 aren't focused on these borderline zealous goals just yet. Instead, the project aims to gather information on the cars that use the A14, before focusing on heavy goods vehicles, feeding back to a database that the government's Department for Transport will be able to access. As The Guardian notes, the project would offer a cheaper method for data connectivity and gathering traffic information compared to the mobile network techniques used by companies like TomTom. Instead of connecting to pricey mobile masts, the project will tap into small base stations attached to street lamps or BT exchanges, many of which already exist along the hectic A-road. (Image credit: Martin Pettitt, Flickr)
UK regulator names Microsoft, Google and others for white space wireless trials
Though rural dwellers are often broadband-poor, there seems to be plenty of companies lining up to serve them in the UK. Regulator Ofcom just announced participants for its "white space" or unused spectrum trials, including Microsoft, Google, Click4Internet and British Telecom. Redmond's going to test WiFi-like services to underserved Glasgow, while Click4internet will assess rural broadband in remote or tricky locations. Google has signed on as a potential database provider, and other use cases like traffic management will be tested by BT and others. Ofcom wants to launch such services by next year and released a blueprint detailing how existing mobile and digital terrestrial TV spectrums could be divvied up. To see all the companies and what each plans to do, check the source.
Ofcom shows DAB done on the cheap, lays groundwork for digital community radio
While DAB radio is common in the UK, its broadcasting equipment is usually too expensive for community broadcasters. However, Ofcom's Rashid Mustapha has shown that the technology is now within reach of amateurs. Taking advantage of DAB's newly patent-free status, Mustapha tested a low-power digital transmitter based on an open source software radio and a Linux PC; he only had to stream that radio to an aerial through long-range WiFi. His solution would cost just £1,400 ($2,153) per year to run, letting many community radio operators make the leap to digital. The study doesn't represent an automatic green light for low-power DAB -- more work is needed, Mustapha says -- but it's clear that small-scale stations won't be stuck in the analog world forever.
UK regulator wants white space wireless service in 2014, starts trials this fall
While there have been white space test runs in the UK, these were private trials that weren't going to get the ball rolling without government help. Thankfully, local regulator Ofcom is of a like mind. It now plans a trial for data on the in-between frequencies this fall, with full-fledged service going live as soon as 2014. The agency expects to settle on the final locations for the pilot after it chooses partners. No, Ofcom can't guarantee that all the stars will align for rural broadband or other long-range wireless projects -- but its involvement at least means those stars are within reach.
Ofcom announces 4G spectrum winners in the UK, snags less cash than expected
UK regulator Ofcom has revealed the winners of its 4G spectrum auction after more than 50 rounds of bidding: EE, Hutchison 3G (Three), BT subsidiary Niche Spectrum Ventures, Telefonica (O2) and Vodafone. It wasn't all good news however, as the agency revealed the auction only roped in £2.4 billion pounds, less than the £3.5 billion it had anticipated. Left on the outside looking in? MLL Telecom and HKT Company. Interestingly enough it was Vodafone -- headed by CEO Vittorio Colao who famously suggested only "technofreaks" were into 4G speed -- that spent the most. The idea is to spread high speed wireless across "almost the whole" UK population by 2017 at the latest, and the auction's intent was to create more competition in the space. Telefonica UK specifically is required to provide indoor reception to at least 98 percent of the population by then, as a condition of its bid. As seen above, the available 250MHz of spectrum was auctioned off in two separate bands, 800MHz (ideal for expanded coverage and freed up by the digital TV transition) and 2.6GHz more suited to high speed data connections. So what's next? You guessed it -- another round of bidding, to determine where in each band the winners spectrum lies, before services roll out in spring or summer of this year. Hit the source link to check out the full results for yourself and prepare for the 5G battle, expected to commence sometime after 2018.
Ofcom mulls letting all UK carriers reuse spectrum for LTE
British regulator Ofcom gave EE special license to reuse 1,800MHz spectrum for its fledgling LTE network; to put it mildly, that rubbed other carriers the wrong way. The agency may be more open to a level playing field, as it's proposing letting everyone follow a similar route, and then some. Following calls from H3G (Three), Telefonica (O2) and Vodafone, Ofcom has offered to let all UK providers repurpose both their 1,800MHz airwaves as well as the 900MHz and 2,100MHz bands. We won't have too long to wait before a decision: Ofcom will decide on the proposal in the second quarter, which might come just in time for carriers to supplement whatever bandwidth they get from 4G auctions. Especially when hardware already exists that could use the frequencies for faster speeds, success could see the trickle of UK LTE become more of a torrent.
Mobile Miscellany: week of January 21st, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a new smartphone from Xolo to India, HTC's crackdown on a custom ROM distributor and the UK's largest mobile spectrum auction to date. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of January 21st, 2013.
Ofcom announces UK 4G auction bidders: seven networks fight it out for 250MHz of new spectrum
Just ahead of the auction set to start in January 2013, UK regulator Ofcom has confirmed the networks gunning for next-generation spectrum. Alongside familiar names like Telefonica (O2), Vodafone, EE and Hutchison (which powers Three), Niche Spectrum Ventures (a BT subsidiary), HKT and MLL will also be looking to pick up a chunk of 800MHz and 2.6GHz LTE spectrum. That lower frequency band was previously tied up with analog TV signal, which has now been switched off, and is well placed for wide-spread mobile internet in rural areas, while the 2.6GHz band should offer better capacity for faster data speeds. The auction will add a substantial 250MHz of extra spectrum, on top of the 333MHz used by mobile networks today. If we'll be able to stream BBC iPlayer anywhere in the country, it might be worth the wait.
Ofcom: UK 4G spectrum bidding starts in January with £1.3 billion reserve
While Orange and T-Mobile love child EE has been doling out 4G to its clients for a bit now, rivals like O2 and Vodafone have been waiting for the chance just to bid on spectrum. Ofcom just announced tentative dates for the process, along with a combined minimum price of £1.3 billion -- after saying earlier that the delay was the carriers' own fault. Operators will submit their applications by December 11th, start bidding in early January and be informed if they were successful or not by March. Fees will then be paid and licenses granted, and Ofcom figures that 4G services will start to roll out from the successful bidders between May and June of next year. You'll then be able to enjoy five to seven times the speed of your current connection -- provided you haven't already jumped ship, of course.
UK carriers form alliance to speed up 800MHz LTE rollout, let us enjoy our Freeview TV
Isn't it better when we work together? British carriers think so. EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have officially created a non-exclusive joint venture, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, that should speed up the deployment of 800MHz LTE by keeping Freeview over-the-air TV signals clear of interference while the partners bring their low-frequency 4G online. Previously, the networks were bound to form an equivalent company called MitCo that wouldn't have been active until after the 800MHz auction, preventing companies from getting their wireless houses in order until they'd already made a commitment. There's also a competitive angle involved to go with the cooperative work, as you might imagine: with EE's 1,800MHz LTE poised to go live on October 30th, choosing infighting over assistance would only help widen the frontrunner's lead. Whether DMSL represents altruism or pragmatism, we'll appreciate knowing that the hurdles to a catch-up in UK 4G will be more those of the technical reality than the usual political maneuvering.
UK carrier cooperation could see 4G LTE rollout ramp up by summer 2013
With the formal creation of Orange and T-Mobile's LTE network lovechild, Everything Everywhere, the UK finally joined the horserace for 4G. Now, it looks like rival domestic operators could get a chance to play catch-up sooner than expected, according to a report from The Telegraph. It appears the mobile companies, having recently put to rest concerns over any potential "first mover advantage" that would see each party entering into litigation, have been freed up to bid in a spectrum auction set to take place in early January. And further speeding this next-gen rollout along, is Ofcom's admission that those precious frequencies could be ready for use as soon as this coming May, allowing carriers to prep service for public consumption by mid-summer 2013 at the latest. All told, it's good news for denizens of the British isles hankering for blazing wireless speeds and the LTE devices that love them. But as with all things commercial, we'd caution you to expect some regulatory bumps in the road to this rollout.
Everything Everywhere completes sale of spectrum to Three, waits for regulators approval
Three and Everything Everywhere have completed the sale of two 15MHz blocks of the 1,800MHz spectrum, announced yesterday. It follows Ofcom's controversial decision to let the latter network queue-jump to offer LTE services in the UK before the official auction process begins. Three won't be able to use its new toy until its frenemy has vacated it, which could be as late as September next year, but could start preparing 4G internet shortly after. The sale was made due to merger requirements by the European Commission, but still needs approval from Ofcom, but given that it's already handed the company an unassailable head-start, we hardly think it'll be too concerned by the deal.
