Ofcom postpones UK 5G spectrum auction until March
Details
Faye Sutton
| 26 January 2021
In a blow to 5G rollout, UK telecom regulator Ofcom has said it will delay the auction of the 700MHz and 3.6-3.8GHz spectrum bands.
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The auction had been planned to start this month but has been postponed due to the ongoing UK lockdown for Covid-19.

The 700MHz spectrum will pave the way for mobile operators to increase the capacity of their services by as much as 20%, particularly in rural areas, where coverage and reliability has previously been patchy. It was cleared as part of the UK government’s four-year £350MN major infrastructure programme.

In a statement Ofcom said: “Throughout our planning for the auction we have been closely monitoring the coronavirus situation. Following a pause in the auction process, we are now planning for the principal stage of the auction (the start of bidding) to begin in March 2021. We will continue to monitor developments.”

A spokesperson for BT, which owns the growing EE 5G network, commented: “We’re disappointed the auction will now be delayed although we understand the unique circumstances. The auction and subsequent release of spectrum remains central to the future rollout of mobile networks and 5G. The economy’s recovery from Covid-19 is dependent on resilient digital infrastructure and we urge Ofcom to resist any further requests for delays.”