Vodafone has accused Ofcom of handing its biggest rival an “undeserved advantage” by giving it a head start in the market for 4G services.
The regulator has said that it is “minded” to allow Everything Everywhere, the owner of Orange and T-Mobile, to use its existing frequencies for 4G while O2 and Vodafone must wait until the much-delayed auction of 800Mhz spectrum takes place. The move will allow Everything Everywhere to launch 4G services by the end of this year, up to 18 months ahead of its rivals.
Guy Laurence, chief executive of Vodafone in Britain, launched a blistering attack on the regulator and suggested that the network could oppose the decision in court. Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, has ordered mobile networks not to delay the launch of 4G with legal action.
Mr Laurence said: “Ofcom appears to have taken leave of its senses. The regulator has always stressed that competition is in the best interests of consumers and the British economy.”
Everything Everywhere pointed out that Vodafone and O2 had a head start with the first mobile phone networks in the 1980s.
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