3 UK and Orange fight it out over 3G coverage claims

3 UK is expected to issue figures to telecoms watchdog, Ofcom this week in an attempt to prove it has the best 3G coverage in the UK. This is to contest a complaint made by the provider last year over Orange's mobile broadband campaign in which it claimed it had the widest UK 3G coverage.

At the time of the complaint, 3 UK laid claim to 9,000 masts in the UK compared to Orange's 7,500.

3 originally filed the complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) suggesting Orange's claims could potentially mislead customers. It's still waiting for a response from the ASA to its initial protest, so it's now taking steps to get the ball rolling a little faster.

Speaking on its 3G coverage a spokesperson for 3 UK commented: "3's figures for outdoor population coverage now stands at over 93 per cent, based on our own methodology, which is far more conservative than that used by other mobile operators." It's now urging Ofcom to set a "common standard with independent monitoring to ensure consumers receive the facts and accurate data".

The spokesperson continued: "3 is actively lobbying for a common standard of measurement of 3G population coverage that will enable consumers to make a genuine comparison between networks."

In response, according to Mobile News, an Orange spokesperson retaliated: "In the absence of an independent industry wide standard for network measurement we can only rely on the data which is made available to the public from our competitors, and compare it to our own. We are very proud of the network we have, but don't believe 3 has the right of the independent authority to sit in judgement on the accuracy of another operator's data." The spokesperson added: "We strongly believe it's not how many masts you have; it's where you stick them."