The results of the UK’s 4G auction have now been announced, but why does this matter for your business?
Following in the footsteps of EE (now with 36% of the spectrum), and after much discussion and negotiation on behalf of the UK’s major mobile networks, we know know that the next adopters of 4G will be Hutchinson (Three – 12% of the spectrum), Vodafone (23%), Telefonica (O2 – 15%) and BT’s subsidiary Niche Spectrum Ventures (9%).
The final bids have left the Treasury disappointed, coming in at a ‘poultry’ £2.34bn, £1.16bn less than they had budgeted for. Does this mean that the 4G phenomenon isn’t as important as we first thought?
4G – Why it matters
The Chancellor may have overestimated the final auction price of the 4G spectrum, but this doesn’t make it any less essential for the progression of technology and business in the UK.
Now that the auction is complete, we can expect 4G coverage to improve vastly across the UK very quickly, with complete coverage expected by 2017. This will provide anyone with a 4G enabled device with a wireless internet connection at least as fast as the one you would have at home, wherever you are. With this kind of super-speed technology, the opportunities for businesses are vast.
The 4G Future
Once 4G is as established as 3G is now, the sky really will be the limit for what businesses can do to attract and retain customers; building brand loyalty through social media interaction and well developed apps, providing location services to allow customers to find the products they need nearby, online ordering streamlined and simplified, one-touch payment systems… the list goes on and is only hindered by your imagination.
Customers now want to feel that they are part of something when they choose who they purchase from, and interaction with the brand on a more personal level helps drive loyalty. Internet savvy shoppers now compare prices or services while shopping, and as internet speed and availability increases, this is a customer trend which is set to continue.
With super-fast connections possible through 4G, this will increasingly become crucial to any business’ marketing programme if they want to stay at the top of their game.
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