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LONDON (Alliance News) - UK telecoms regulator Ofcom set out new annual licence fees mobile operators must pay to use some mobile spectrum, 13% down from fees it had proposed in February, although still significantly increased from their current levels.
Under the new fees, the total paid by Vodafone Group PLC, Telefónica UK Limited, EE Ltd and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd's Three network will by GBP199.6 million, more than tripled the GBP64.4 million currently paid, although below the GBP228.3 million Ofcom had proposed in February.
Vodafone's new fee will be a total of GBP49.8 million, as will Telefónica's, whilst EE's will be GBP75.0 million, and Three's GBP25.0 million.
There is significant consolidation currently underway in the mobile market, with BT Group PLC in the process of acquiring EE in a GBP12.5 billion deal that is currently being probed by the UK Competition and Markets Authority, and Three having agreed a GBP10.25 billion deal to acquire 02 UK from Telefónica SA.
Ofcom had been directed by the UK Government in 2010 to revise the fees to reflect their full market value.
"We have listened carefully to the arguments and evidence put forward by industry, and conducted a complex and comprehensive analysis to determine the new fees," said Ofcom's Director of Spectrum Philip Marnick in a statement.
"The mobile industry has not previously had to pay market value for access to this spectrum, which is a valuable and finite resource, and the new fees reflect that value, Marnick added.
Shares in Vodafone were down 0.3% to 215.35 pence at market open Thursday, whilst BT was down 0.1% at 411.88 pence.
By Hana Stewart-Smith; hanassmith@alliancenews.com; @HanaSSAllNews
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