A new report out today indicates UK mobile carriers Three and EE have reached a deal to work together, including the sharing of costs, for the next phase of their 4G LTE network buildout. According to reports, the two carriers will share masts and backhaul transmission costs to the tune of $1.63 Billion USD. The report says that while the infrastructure and costs are being shared between the two carriers, other components are not being shared. Notably, “the antennas, spectrum and the core network” will remain separate. This means each carrier will still have control over speed and coverage for their networks.
The initial impression in the industry is that the deal will be more beneficial for Three which has been trailing other carriers in building out a 4G LTE presence. Meanwhile, EE has already deployed a significant 4G LTE footprint. With some additional capital flowing into the deal from a partner, EE hopes to maintain its early lead in the market. The other major players, Vodafone and O2, have their own agreement in place to partner in building out a 4G network.
source: Android Central
