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According to the FT.com, O2 and Vodafone are considering a network sharing deal. Anyone that reads IntoMobile regularly will know that these deals are becoming more and more common, and probably the best example in recent times in the UK has been H3G (Three) using T-Mobile’s network (specifically to give access for their 2G footprint).
Of course, with network sharing there is a huge potential saving in both CAPEX (building out new transmitters) and also OPEX (since I’d assume operating costs can be shared). Of course there’s lots of ways network sharing could occur, from the very basic step of sharing the same site, right through to piping calls and data between each other.
As I wrote a little while back, Ofcom is also lurking in the area of discussion for network usage, since it wants to re-allocate certain spectra for use with (mainly) mobile broadband. This all dovetails nicely in to the Government intiative to give ubiquitous access to at least 2Mbps broadband (irrespective of medium) within only 5-10 years.
Personally I think fixed line broadband sucks for many people in the UK, and FTTH (Fibre to the Home) is the only way to go for the future – where that isn’t possible of course, general mobile coverage AND wireless broadband access are obviously both important. So let’s hope this issue gets sorted out to everyone’s satisfaction, within a reasonable timeframe.
The FT article is a good read for a more detailed commentary of the O2/Vodafone issue, I’d recommend you check it out here.
[Via: FT.com]
About The Author
Ben Robinson
Ben is a 10+ year veteran of the Mobile industry – starting his career when SMS was a still a relatively new concept for most people (!), he has now consulted on everything from bleeding-edge Mobile content, to the next-gen accessories you might view it on. As a result he has a broad and deep knowledge in numerous areas of Mobile – from network operators to device vendors, to infrastructure and middleware vendors (not to mention content delivery) – and has worked for companies in all of these areas! He is based in the UK, a hotbed of activity for mobile, and recently became a father for the second time – as oppose to in his younger years when he was happy spend time tweaking all manner of mobile devices to 'nth' degree, he now looks for services and hardware that provide the most efficient, compact, and reliable improvements to his already manic life! It’s his opinion that Mobile solutions should be there to help to make your life better – if a particular solution (be it service or device) isn’t doing this, he believes you need to ask the very important question of why you continue to use it... His focus at IntoMobile is mainly on Mobile content, services, and infrastructure, particularly as regards the UK market – and with the occasional look at devices. Additionally, using his extensive experience in the industry, he will provide commentary on the industry at large, with regular (and hopefully thought-provoking) articles.
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Captain Rotten
