Vodafone leaves Tiscali auction?

Vodafone has pulled out of the auction for fixed-line broadband company Tiscali, according to the Financial Times. This means Tiscali will probably be broken up into UK and Italian segments when sold. British Sky Broadcasting and The Carphone Warehouse are interested in the UK business, while Wind and Swisscom are after the Italian part. [Source: FT.com]

Qualcomm wins bid for UK radio spectrum

American telecomms manufacturer Qualcomm has paid £8.3 million to win the spectrum rights to the so-called L band of 1452MHz to 1492MHz in the UK, which was being auctioned by Ofcom. Curiously, it’s not yet said exactly what it plans to use the frequencies for, although Ofcom had previously suggested the L Band would be suitable for mobile TV, satellite digital radio or broadband wireless access. [Ofcom press release; Qualcomm press release]

Ofcom and EU announce Mobile TV plans

Telecomms regulator Ofcom has said it’s going to auction the so-called L band of frequencies that run from 1452 to 1492MHz in the middle of the GSM spectrum. The EU has suggested that the spectrum should be reserved for mobile TV, although Ofcom hasn’t set any such criteria on the auction. The L band sale will probably take place at the end of April and – as well as being useful for Mobile TV services – is also likely to appeal to companies looking to offer satellite digital radio and broadband wireless access. A couple of days after this announcement came news that the European Commission was officially endorsing DVB-H as the recommended Mobile TV standard for all its members.