Broadband
Ofcom to auction more 4G spectrum; outlines next steps
MUMBAI: Ofcom plans to release valuable new airwaves that will improve 4G coverage and be used to meet the growing demand for mobile broadband services in the UK.
Decisions announced today will help Ofcom set the groundwork for the spectrum award, including how these frequencies will be licenced and the mechanics of the auction.
Potential bidders are also being asked for their views on how to best proceed with the auction.
While no specific uses for this spectrum have been prescribed, it is likely to interest the mobile industry, which relies on spectrum to offer internet services to consumers’ smartphones and tablets.
The 2.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz spectrum bands are being released for civil use and could be suitable for providing very high data capacity.
Since Ofcom’s last consultation on the auction, BT has announced plans to buy EE, while Hutchison Whampoa – the owner of Three – has reached agreement to acquire O2 from its current owner Telefonica. If the latter merger goes ahead it would reduce the UK wholesale mobile market from four major operators to three.
Ofcom’s objective is to award the frequencies in a way that will allow consumers to enjoy greater access to high-capacity mobile internet without undue delay.
The consultation invites potential bidders to comment on an option where Ofcom would award most of the newly available spectrum later this year, or early in 2016. The remaining frequencies would be held back for award at a later date.
This approach may be preferable to the alternatives of either awarding all of the spectrum, or delaying the award – although both those options remain open. Ofcom will determine later in the year the best approach to making the spectrum available, following stakeholder responses and the condition of the market.
Under decisions announced today, Ofcom would issue licences for the 2.3 and 3.4 GHz bands for an indefinite period, but with an initial term of 20 years after which licence fees may be payable.
There will be no coverage obligations placed on this spectrum. This is because the frequencies being auctioned are better suited for high capacity and faster speeds, rather than achieving wide geographical coverage.
The closing date for this consultation is 26 June.
Broadband
ACT Fibernet elevates Aditya Singh to chief customer experience officer
Former senior vp to drive service, retention and delivery revamp
BENGALURU: ACT Fibernet has elevated Aditya Singh to chief customer experience officer, effective 1 January, 2026, as the broadband provider seeks to tighten its grip on service quality in an increasingly competitive market.
Singh, who previously served as senior vice-president – customer experience and loyalty at group level, will now join the executive committee and lead the company’s end-to-end customer transformation agenda.
The move gives him oversight of customer service, customer retention and service delivery, alongside a broader mandate to strengthen network resilience and field operations. The company said the reshuffle underlines its intent to deliver a “consistent, seamless and superior” experience to its 2.3m subscribers across more than 30 cities.
Headquartered in Bengaluru, ACT Fibernet, the consumer-facing brand of Atria Convergence Technologies Limited, is one of India’s largest wired internet service providers. It has built its pitch on high-speed connectivity and responsive customer support, at a time when fibre roll-outs and price wars are redrawing the broadband map.
In a statement, Singh said he was “deeply honoured” to take on the expanded brief and join the executive committee as the company sharpens its focus on simplifying customer touchpoints and turning subscribers into brand advocates.
The elevation signals a clear priority: in a crowded fibre market, customer experience is fast becoming the decisive battleground.
