Three’s MakeTheAirFair campaign which calls on the UK regulator, Ofcom, to apply a cap of 30% on the total amount of mobile spectrum owned by any one company , has received the backing of 100,000 people. The campaign is led by Three with TalkTalk, CityFibre, Federation of Communication Services, Gamma, and Relish. According to Three, the campaign, if successful, will lead to lower prices and better mobile internet speeds.
Regarding the latest news, Dave Dyson, CEO, Three UK, said:
“The fact that so many members of the public have joined the MakeTheAirFair campaign and responded to Ofcom’s consultation shows that consumers are concerned about the massive imbalance in ownership of the nation’s airwaves. Our research, conducted in partnership with YouGov, has shown that over 60% of UK consumers fear that reduced competition between service providers will lead to increased prices. Ofcom needs to act on these concerns.”
It’s no surprise that Three wants the spectrum cap to be put in place; EE currently holds 45%, Vodafone holds 28%, O2 holds 15%, and Three is in last place with about 12%. Despite Three’s subjective reasons, a recent report carried out by the National Infrastructure Commission gives more objective reasons to support the campaign. According to the report, Great Britain ranked 54th in the world in terms of 4G coverage. Three believes the current imbalance of spectrum ownership will only worsen the issues consumers face on a daily basis.
Source: Three