Reports that the U.K. telecom regulator has delayed its 4G...

been expected to publish the auction terms this month but postponed it “after veiled threats of legal action from a number of carriers including O2.” The report insinuates that the auction postponement is because of the threats, but that’s “categorically not the case,” the source said. Ofcom “has been very explicit in its aim to begin the 4G auction as soon as is practicable, and this remains our objective,” an Ofcom spokesman said. But this is a complex area with a large number of technical and competition issues to be considered and resolved before the proposals are finalized, he said. One issue is that a high proportion of U.K. households rely on terrestrial DTV, which much be relocated before 4G can roll out, he said. Because such technical issues must be satisfactorily tackled before new networks can be built, it won’t be possible for mobile operators to start deploying 4G networks until 2013 at the earliest, regardless of when the auction takes place, the spokesman said. The auction could take place in the first half of 2012, the source said.