Fixed line telephone and broadband giant, BT, has begun to search for a partner to re-enter the mobile telecommunications market.
British Telecom surprised many when it won £200 million worth of the 2.6GHz spectrum in the 4G auction. However, at the time BT said that it had no intention of re-entering the mobile consumer space, leaving many to believe that the telecoms giant would simply use its new-found spectrum to complement its already vast Wi-Fi network.
Yet FT.com, has reported that BT has now initiated a tender, seeking a partner to provide mobile services to BT customers – both residential and business. The tender is open to all the cellcos; yet, O2 is the favourite to strike a deal.
According to rethink-wireless.com, the partnership could be a highly strategic move for both BT and their new potential partner.
O2, which was originally owned by BT, did not acquire any of the 2.6GHz spectrum. If such a deal is struck up, it would not only provide BT customers with a highly enticing and unique offering, but the mobile operator would also benefit from potential Wi-Fi offload deals.
The 2.6GHz licenses could also be used to create urban hotspots, which could support specialist services such as wireless broadband.
