LTE to claim 1.0 bln users by 2016

U.K. telecoms regulator Ofcom today announced the the 4G auction is underway with bidding to acquire up to 250 MHz in the 800Mhz and 2.6GHz bands. The total reserve price for the spectrum has been set at £1.36 billion — but the U.K. Treasury has already factored £3.5 billion from the spectrum sale into its policy decisions.

Predicted increases in LTE subscription in nearest 2016 will be more than 1.0 billion users.by 2016 five year of compound growth willk be around 139%.

Currently, only Everything Everywhere offers LTE service in the U.K., using their refarmed 1800 MHz band. Competing mobile operators Telefónica UK (O2), Vodafone UK and 3 will be able to start playing catch-up with rival Everything Everywhere.
The bidding process for the extra spectrum will be conducted in secret. Companies taking part in the auction are:
[list style=”unordered” type=”type1″] Everything Everywhere: 27.2 million subs, owned by France Télécom aka Orange (50%) and Deutsche Telekom (50%).
PCCW, a major Hong Kong telecoms conglomerate, operating through its subsidiary HKT
3: 8.2 million subs, owned by Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa
MLL Telecom, a telecom network supplier founded in 1992 and based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
BT, via its subsidiary Niche Spectrum Ventures
O2: 22.3 million subs, owned by Telefónica, a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider
Vodafone: 19.2 million subs, owned by Vodafone, headquartered in London.
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The UK has decided to break the 190 MHz-wide band of 2.6 GHz frequencies into two groups, 140 MHz of paired frequencies and 70 MHz of unpaired.By 2016, LTE will claim more than 1.0 billion users, as shown in the figure above, equivalent to a five-year compound annual growth rate of 139 percent.