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T-Mobile and 3 join forces on UK-wide 3G mobile broadband network

Mobile operators 3 and T-Mobile UK have announced an agreement to combine their 3G networks that will lead to national coverage by 2009.

The new agreement is set to make mobile broadband available on a national scale, in a quicker time period, and at a lower cost to the providers.

Customers are set to benefit from greater coverage in 2008 as the operators begin the technical tasks around combining their 3G networks.  By the end of 2008, the operators believe they will have “almost complete population coverage”.  Further improvements in quality of service are targeted in 2009.

There are plans to decommission over 5,000 duplicate sites from both operators as a result of combining their current 3G infrastructure.

The mobile operators will not be combining their existing 2G network infrastructure however, and both operators will remain individually responsible for them.

A new 50:50 joint venture company called “Mobile Broadband Network Limited” is to be created, taking on responsibility for the creation and operation of the new 3G network.  The operators estimate that the combined savings will be £2 billion over a 10 year period.

Although the mobile operators will utilise a combined 3G network, they state that they will remain competitors in the mobile wholesale and retail markets in the UK.

Kevin Russell, Chief Executive Officer of 3 UK, said, ”High-speed mobile broadband is going to be a key enabler for both consumers and businesses looking for convenient access to Internet-based services wherever they are. This market-leading initiative will accelerate the adoption of new services in a timescale each of us could not have achieved on our own.”

Jim Hyde, Chief Executive of T-Mobile UK, also echoed the same sentiments.  “From 2008, customers can expect to have access to high-speed 3G services in a greater number of locations than we can currently serve over our existing infrastructure. By collaborating with 3 UK, we can achieve this quicker and with greater economy – that’s a win-win in anyone’s language” he said.

Both T-Mobile and 3 UK currently offer a range of 3G enabled handsets as well providing mobile broadband coverage via simple plug-in USB modems or data cards.