BTG, a Dutch telecom association, has called on government authorities to free up spectrum in the all-important 3.5GHz band for use with 5G services. In a statement published on its website, BTG complained about the uncertainty that surrounds the award of mid-band spectrum, which has already been released in most large European countries, and warned that delays could lead to network congestion and future problems for mobile phone customers. An auction in the Netherlands appears to have been held up by a legal fight between Dutch authorities and Inmarsat, a satellite operator that relies on 3.5GHz frequencies and is reportedly trying to block any licensing of the spectrum to 5G operators.

Ofcom, the UK regulator, has kicked off a consultation into net neutrality, the somewhat vague principle that telecom operators should not offer special treatment to any Internet services but treat them all fairly. The UK has been following European Union (EU) guidelines on net neutrality but left the block at the end of 2020 and has apparently decided that a Brexit-era update may be required. The EU's approach has looked farcical ever since it said operators would be allowed to provide "specialized services," demanding higher performance than a standard Internet connection, and thereby fudged the whole issue. Ofcom said one of its goals was to see whether there is scope to provide "greater clarity and certainty" on that subject. Feedback is likely to include the suggestion it drop the net-neutrality notion altogether.

Vodafone Ukraine has reportedly closed a deal to acquire local rival Vega, which appears to own frequency licenses and provide fixed-line services in Ukraine. A report by the Ukraine News Agency said Vodafone's goal was to develop a fixed-line offering in the country. The financial terms of the deal were not reported.

— Iain Morris, International Editor, Light Reading