Although some believe the future for mobile telecoms lies in network sharing in one form or another, others worry that too much togetherness could stifle competition. Read more...

UK regulator Ofcom has published a decision on the much-delayed 800 MHz/2.6GHz auction following a series of consultations, and plans to put it before Parliament “in the autumn” following a final statutory consultation before it can be passed into law. Read more...

The US is ahead of other countries in rolling out fixed white space applications but mobile technologies will be harder to deploy, says FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp. Meanwhile, commissioners say they are looking for ways to boost sharing of federal spectrum. Read more...

After years of disputes and delays, Thailand’s relatively new telecoms and broadcasting regulator appears now to be firmly in control of spectrum allocations and is promising to hold the long-awaited 3G auction in October 2012. Read more...

Following a request for expressions of interest in acquiring 2.1 GHz spectrum, the Norwegian telecoms regulator has concluded that demand exceeds the available supply and decided to hold an auction. Read more...

Romania’s telecoms regulator has delayed its planned multiband 4G auction for two months and set a new provisional start date of 10 September 2012, with potential participants having until 13 August to apply. Read more...

Following a flurry of activity late last year and early this year as South African regulator ICASA tried to push through its proposals for the assignment by beauty contest of 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum, the whole process is now on indefinite hold. Read more...

The 2012 Spectrum Act established a $1.75 billion fund to help defray broadcasters’ moving costs as channels are repacked in the broadcast spectrum after the first incentive auction, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake said at a broadcaster relocation fund workshop held on 25 June. The costs… Read more...

Norwegian Posts and Telecommunications Authority (NPT) Read more...

Our top story this month is the growing interest in creating a single mobile network which would be shared by all operators. We examine the regulatory issues this would raise as well as considering the implications of other forms of sharing. Download the issue here: https://www.policytracker.com/Back%20issues/PT-July-12.pdf Read more...