UMTS - Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (3G)

UMTS is the Third Generation (3G) of mobile communications. UMTS provides mobile users with interactive multimedia capabilities at higher data rates than for 2G. Improvements in coding and data compression technology provide better speech quality and faster data transmission.

Licences for 3G services on the UK mainland were awarded by an auction process in April 2000, continuing until 31 December 2021 to five UK operators: Telefnica O2, Orange, Everything Everywhere (formerly T-Mobile), Vodafone and 3 (Hutchison 3G UK Limited), operating in the 1900 MHz and 2100 MHz bands.

Ofcom published a Notice on 28 October 2010 proposing to vary the existing 900 MHz and 1800 MHz 2G licences to allow also UMTS use, on which the Secretary of State made a Government Direction to Ofcom on 20 December 2010 that came into force on 30 December 2010. Concluding the consultation process, Ofcom varied the licences on 6 January 2011.

Ofcom published further notices on 2 February 2011 proposing to make licences in the 900, 1800 and 2100 spectrum bands tradable and proposing changes to existing 3G mobile licences to implement aspects of the Governments mobile spectrum Directions to Ofcom. Statements for both proposals were published on 20 June 2011.

Reference Information

• Statement on proposal to make 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz public wireless network licences tradable
• Statement on variation of 2100 MHz 3G Mobile Wireless Telegraphy Act Licences
• Simplifying Spectrum Trading - Spectrum leasing and other market enhancements
• 3G Rollout Consultation 28|07|07
• Statement on 900 MHz and 1800 MHz licence variation

November 2011