Mobile and wireless broadband below 5 GHz

Published: 14 December 2016
Last updated: 14 August 2025

The licences linked from this page are the versions current as of 1 August 2025.

Should you need to rely on the current terms of any licence, please contact either Ofcom or the licensee to check whether that licence may have subsequently been superseded by a later version.

Frequency allocations: mobile and wireless Broadband below 5 GHz (PDF, 46.0 KB)

Updates and Notices

Ofcom decided on 3 April 2025 to approve Vodafone's request to vary its public wireless network licence for the 900 and 1800 MHz spectrum bands to include in that licence the Network Commitment. In accordance with the variation request, these changes will come into effect upon completion of the Merger.

This licence was part of the applications received from Hutchison 3G UK Limited, UK Broadband Limited (wholly owned by Hutchison 3G UK Limited) and Vodafone Limited for trades of certain frequencies, which included an application for the concurrent transfer of that licence to Hutchison 3G UK Limited. Ofcom consented to these trades on 28 January 2025, with those transfers also being put into effect upon completion of the Merger.

Please find attached the Vodafone/Three merger variation decision and draft licence for publication on 7th April.

Cellular LICENCE - Vodafone and H3G xx.xx.25 network commitments draft redacted (PDF, 481 KB)

On 28 March 2025, Ofcom received an application from Vodafone Limited (Vodafone) to amend its public wireless network licence for the 900 and 1800 MHz spectrum bands (licence number 0249664) to include in that licence a commitment to deliver a joint network plan involving integration and upgrades over the next eight years (the “Network Commitment”). The Network Commitment is part of a package of commitments the Competition and Markets Authority accepted from Vodafone in order for its merger with Hutchison 3G UK Limited (the Merger) to proceed.

We consider that it is unnecessary for Ofcom to undertake an assessment of the likely impact of implementing the proposed licence variation under Section 7 of the Communications Act 2003 based on the analysis and process conducted by the CMA during their review of the Merger. Our assessment is that the CMA’s analysis covers the issues which Ofcom would consider as part of an assessment of how the performance of its general duties (within the meaning of section 3) is secured or furthered by or in relation to the propose licence variation. We also note that the CMA process provided for stakeholders to be consulted on the significant aspects of the Merger, including the Network Commitment.

This serves as a statement for the purposes of Section 7(3)(b) of the Communications Act 2003.

Ofcom published an update on revoking unpaired 1900 MHz spectrum from Spectrum Access 2100 MHz licences.  The relevant schedules in the 2100 MHz licences for EE Limited, Hutchison 3G UK Ltd and Telefonica UK Ltd, which authorise the use of unpaired 1900 MHz spectrum, will expire on 3 April 2029.

Licences

Licensee Licence number Uplink (base receive) Downlink (base transmit) Amount (MHz)  Comments
Telefónica UK 1248094 703 - 713 MHz   758 - 768 MHz 20
Vodafone & Three 1388687 713 - 723 MHz 768 - 778 MHz20 20
EE Limited 1248065 723 – 733 MHz 738 – 758 MHz
778 – 788 MHz
40
Vodafone & Three 1388535 832 – 837 MHz 791 – 796 MHz   30
EE Limited 0943533 837 – 842 MHz
2535 – 2570 MHz
796 – 801 MHz
2655 – 2690 MHz

10

70

Telefónica UK 0943537 852 – 862 MHz 811 – 821 MHz 20
Telefónica UK 0249663 902.5 – 914.9 MHz
1710.1 – 1715.9 MHz
947.5 – 959.9 MHz
1805.1 – 1810.9 MHz
Vodafone & Three 1388560 885.1 – 890.1
1715.9 – 1721.7 MHz
 930.1 – 935.1 MHz
1810.9 – 1816.7 MHz
Vodafone & Telefónica UK 1391610 1452 - 1472 MHz 20 Ends 30/9/27
Telefónica UK 1392084 1452 - 1472 MHz 20
Vodafone & Three 1388539 1472 - 1492 MHz 20
Vodafone & Three 1388501 1721.7 – 1736.7 MHz 1816.7 – 1831.7 MHz
EE Limited 249666 1736.7 – 1781.7 MHz 1831.7 – 1876.7 MHz
EE Limited 1268473 1959.7 – 1979.7 MHz 2149.7 – 2169.7 MHz
  1899.9 – 1909.9 MHz   10 Revoked 3/4/29
Vodafone & Telefónica UK 1391663 1934.9 - 1944.9 MHz
1940.3 - 1949.7 MHz
2124.9 - 2134.9 MHz
2130.3 - 2139.7 MHz
From 1/8/25
From 1/1/26
Licence ends 30/9/31
Vodafone & Telefónica UK 1391667 1949.7 - 1959.7 MHz 2139.7 -2149.7 MHz Licence ends 1/1/26
Vodafone 1268478 1944.9 - 1949.7 MHz
1934.9-1940.3 MHz
2134.9 - 2139.7MHz
2124.9 - 2130.3MHz  
1914.9 – 1920.0 MHz 5.1 Revoked 3/4/29
Telefónica UK 1392087 1949.7 - 1959.7 MHz
1940.3 - 1959.7 MHz
 2139.7-2149.7 MHz
2130.3 -2149.7 MHz
From 1/1/26
From 30/9/31 
Telefónica UK 1268476 1934.9 – 1944.9 MHz 2124.9 – 2134.9 MHz
1909.9 – 1914.9 MHz 5 Revoked 3/4/29
Telefónica UK 1151571 2350 – 2390 MHz 40
EE Limited 1191194 2520 – 2535 MHz 2640 – 2655 MHz 30
Vodafone & Telefónica UK 1391631 2570 - 2595 MHz 25 Ends 30/9/27
Telefónica UK 1238565 2595 – 2620 MHz
2570 – 2620 MHz

25

50

Until 30/9/27
From 30/9/27 
Vodafone & Telefónica UK 1388552 3410 - 3460 MHz 50
Vodafone & Three 1388547 3460 – 3480 MHz 20
Vodafone & Three & UKB 1388719 3480 – 3500 MHz
3580 – 3600 MHz

20

20

Telefónica UK 1257246 3500 – 3540 MHz 40 Licence ends 31/12/25 
Vodafone 1257249  3500 – 3520 MHz 40 Licence ends 31/12/25
Vodafone & Three 1257249 3500 – 3520 MHz 20 From 31/12/25
Telefónica UK 1392043 3520 - 3540 MHz 20 From 1/1/26
EE Limited 1151563 3540 – 3580 MHz 40
Vodafone & Three & UKB 1388741 3600 – 3680 MHz 80
EE Limited 1248066 3680 – 3720 MHz 40
Telefónica UK 1257247 3720 – 3760 MHz 40 Licence ends 31/12/25
Telefónica UK 1257248 3720 – 3760 MHz 40 From 1/1/26
Vodafone 1257250 3720 - 3760 MHz 40 Licence ends 31/12/25
Telefónica UK 1248095 3760 – 3800 MHz 40
UK Broadband 1295901 3800 - 3884 MHz 84
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