4G mobile broadband auction proposals announced: still no date set

In the latest fudge of the farcical UK 4G mobile broadband auction Ofcom has said, in a roundabout sort of way, that things may well slip into 2013.

Ofcom’s latest announcement was meant to hit a positive note, centring on the fact it was introducing measures it expected would extend 4G mobile broadband coverage to 98 per cent of the UK’s population, rather than 95 per cent.

It also said stakeholders had 10 weeks to comment on the revised proposals, which have already dragged out ridiculously as the UK’s leading mobile providers have thrown their weight around.

What complaints in the next 10 weeks might do the schedule are anyone's guess, but Ofcom claims the auction design will be decided in the summer, with the auction itself 'starting' in Q4 of 2012. This leaves room for the end of the auction to slip into 2013 – nothing short of probable with the 4G mess we’ve had to date.

Broadband Genie editor Chris Marling added: "As we've said before, the Government has been promising this auction since 2010 and it’s still not set in stone, making us the laughing stock of our European neighbours.

"If our Government is serious about UK broadband provision, it needs to take hold of this situation and give Ofcom a firm deadline to stick to, or take the matter out of its hands completely."