The spectrum is currently being used by the company, which is a joint venture between Orange and T-Mobile, for its 2G services.

It from Ofcom in February, which resulted in a consultation being launched, with a view to begin rolling out networks before the end of 2012.

Ofcom said in a statement: "Ofcom has today approved an application by the mobile phone operator EE to use its existing 1800 MHz spectrum to deliver 4G services.

"Following a consultation, Ofcom has concluded that varying EE's 1800MHz licences now will deliver significant benefits to consumers, and that there is no material risk that those benefits will be outweighed by a distortion of competition. Delaying doing so would therefore be to the detriment of consumers."

This will come as a blow to rival mobile operators O2 and Vodafone, who expressed dismay when Ofcom gave provisional approval for the . O2 said that the proposal was "contradictory to [Ofcom's] objective of delivering a competitive market environment", whilst Vodafone accused Ofcom of "taking leave of its senses".