Mobile lobby group says UK fees hike threatens 4G roll-out

Telecom operators in Britain may rein in spending on high-speed 4G networks if the country presses ahead with a plan to quadruple the cost of renting airwaves, mobile phone industry group GSMA said on Thursday. Regulator Ofcom outlined the plan in October after the UK government said the fees should reflect "full market value". The proposal also came after Britain raised a less-than-expected 2.34 billion pounds ($3.7 billion) in a 4G spectrum auction for airwaves to carry high-speed mobile Internet traffic earlier last year. "The GSMA is concerned that Ofcom's proposal to more than quadruple annual license fees ... will jeopardize mobile operators' ability to upgrade their networks for 4G services in the UK," GSMA's chief regulatory officer Tom Phillips said.

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