UK mobile operator 3 will continue its legal challenge to regulator Ofcom’s ruling requiring the cellco to cut connection charges last year, the Financial Times reports. Ofcom’s March 2007 ruling called for a 45% cut in mobile termination rates across 3’s network by 2011. The ruling was the first time the regulator had brought 3 within its price controls regime for the charges; which has already been applied to O2, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile. Previous attempts by the cellco to have the ruling overturned have failed, with the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) rejecting the case in May 2008. The CAT did however grant 3 leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal and indications are that the case will now be heard in early 2009. If 3 is successful, the operator would be free to raise its charges, although the operator has suggested that it wants mobile termination rates to be cut to zero by all operators.

Source:telegeography