British ministers look likely to have to step in to solve a bitter dispute between mobile phone operators over radio spectrum because industry-led talks on the issue are heading for failure. The government is expected to have to impose a solution on the industry because the mobile operators cannot agree on how to carve up a big chunk of radio spectrum that could be used for wireless broadband services. But ministers risk seeing the mobile operators respond by fighting any government-enforced solution in the courts. Bringing an end to the protracted dispute over spectrum is essential if the government is to proceed with its plan to make broadband Internet access available to all homes by 2012.
