In a brief statement, UK regulator Ofcom noted that it would be postponing the planned spectrum auction, moving the event to an unspecified date in March. The spectrum available is in the 700 MHz and 3.6–3.8 GHz bands, with the auction increasing the total spectrum available for UK operators by almost a fifth (18%).
In a brief statement, the regulator did not name a specific reason for the decision, but did broadly cite ‘the coronavirus situation’.
“Throughout our planning for the auction we have been closely monitoring the coronavirus situation. Following a pause in the auction process, we are now planning for the principal stage of the auction (the start of bidding) to begin in March 2021. We will continue to monitor developments,” read an update posted on the Ofcom website.
Back in August last year, the regulator announced confirmation of its plans to start the bidding process in January 2021. This had met some resistance by some of the UK operators, who argued that the coronavirus pandemic should warrant Ofcom simply allocating spectrum to each of the operators at the reserve price. Some also continued to argue, as they had back in March, that the regulator should intervene to defragment the spectrum currently owned by the operators.
Ofcom rejected both of these pleas, writing to the operators to explain that there was no feasible way for them to simply allocate the spectrum quickly, efficiently, and fairly in light of their duties. Similarly, they reiterated that they were not obligated to defragment the available spectrum owned by the operators and that they would instead facilitate spectrum trades between the operators where possible.
Source: https://www.totaltele.com/508414/Ofcom-delays-spectrum-auction-due-to-Covid