The range of cellular towers that offer data and phone is extreme these days, blanketing most of the western hemisphere. British people were among the first to gain from the new technology of 3G almost 10 years ago, but they are now among the last to get access to 4G, lagging behind the US and most of western Europe. There have been many issues with 4G mobile UK, which has significantly slowed the scheduled roll-out.

Most people in Great Britain would like 4G coverage sooner rather than later. In a poll done where over 2000 adults were asked for their thoughts on the subject, over 80% of them indicated that they believed 4G coverage should be offered soon. Mentioning reasons like keeping up with competition in other countries, their opinion was fairly clear. Nevertheless, the poll did not state whether the people queried knew about the potential problems that new coverage could lead to.

Nearly all 4G coverage uses the bandwidth at 800 and 2100Mhz. Older technologies such as 2G and 3G use different bands. The superior combination of speed and distance, as well as building penetration of signals, is achieved at 800Mhz. The trouble with this is that many different technologies also rely on frequencies around this band, for similar reasons.

One potential problem relates to television signal boosters. If a 4G tower goes in close by someone with a television signal amplifier, the signal could be disrupted and that household could fail to get access to free channels. This could affect up to 10% of the population, which is millions of people. Filters that endeavour to prevent this can be used, but they are not completely effective.

Other possibly problematic services include pay TV and digital television, as well. Of course, as these are paid services people are free to switch to other options. Nevertheless, the companies that run these services are not exactly thrilled with the prospect of being forced to make significant modifications or go out of business, so they have been strong voices against rolling out the present version of 4G.

One of the things submitted and started to be implemented was auctioning off the frequencies. Businesses or companies that sought after using a frequency could buy the rights to do so. However, some of the companies that would be affected have been holding up the process, apparently trusting a court verdict that they can use to their gain. Many of the candidates are mobile providers.

Test versions of 4G networks have been accomplished by several major providers in various cities across the UK. Nevertheless, they do not use the frequencies which are of most contention, and the spectrum they do use are not the best candidates for nationwide coverage. Some frequencies travel further and travel through buildings better than others, which are important qualities in a cellular phone signal.

It seems unlikely that the UK will not get 4G, but it seems it's going to take its own sweet time getting here. Large companies warring with each other via deals, courts, auctions, and more can take a while to get everything sorted. 4G mobile UK seems like a nuisance at the moment, but many people agree that the longer-term effects will be advantageous.