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
Zoff Foods extends Shilpa Shetty partnership into ninth year
Spice brand reinforces trust-led positioning amid growth and funding push.
MUMBAI: Nine years, one flavour and the recipe clearly still works. Zoff Foods has extended its long-running association with Shilpa Shetty, marking nine consecutive years of her as brand ambassador as the company scales its presence across Indian households. What began as a digital-first collaboration has gradually evolved into a defining element of the brand’s identity. Over nearly a decade, the partnership has mirrored Zoff’s own journey from an emerging challenger to a fast-growing FMCG player with a widening footprint across e-commerce, quick commerce and offline retail channels.
The logic behind the continuity is straightforward. In a category where trust and familiarity drive purchase decisions, particularly in spices and ready-to-cook segments, long-term associations tend to carry more weight than short bursts of visibility. Shetty’s positioning as a fitness-conscious, health-aware public figure aligns with the brand’s emphasis on purity and quality factors that are increasingly shaping consumer choices in modern Indian kitchens.
The extension also comes at a time when Zoff Foods is entering a more aggressive growth phase. The company recently raised $2 million in a Pre-Series B funding round led by JM Financial Private Equity, with participation from Aman Gupta, signalling a push towards expanding distribution, product innovation and market reach.
Company executives have positioned the continued partnership as a strategic anchor amid this expansion, reinforcing brand recall while entering new markets. For Shetty, the association remains rooted in shared values around authenticity and ingredient integrity attributes that resonate strongly with increasingly mindful consumers.
In a market crowded with new-age brands and shifting loyalties, Zoff’s approach suggests a different playbook: build slowly, stay consistent, and let familiarity do the heavy lifting. Because sometimes, in both branding and cooking, it’s not about reinventing the dish, it’s about perfecting it over time.
