( FT ) - Ofcom is proposing to take some of the radio spectrum away from mobile operators Vodafone and O2, and sell it to competitors in a new 3G licence auction.
The communications industry regulator wants the operators to give up some of the spectrum they use for 2G services - such as voice calls, text messaging and low-speed internet access - and would sell this to competitors through an auction, which could be held as early as 2009.