Britain sets measure to gauge 3G licensees

LONDON, July 28 (UPI) -- Britain's Office of Communications has come up with a means to measure how mobile companies are complying with regulations to roll out services.

The method will allow the government to gauge how O2, Vodafone, H3G, T-Mobile and Orange are meeting the need to cover at least 80 percent of the British population with third-generation mobile networks by the end of 2007.

Ofcom added that it expects all licensee companies to meet their obligations but added that it is "considers guidance on enforcement action ... helpful to reduce regulatory uncertainty."

The deadline for companies to respond the methodology is Oct. 20.