Ofcom Fines U.K. Mobile Phone Operator Three for Emergency Call Service Failure

U.K. communications regulator has imposed a 1.9 million pounds ($2.5 million) fine on mobile phone operator Three UK for emergency call service failure.

Ofcom said Friday it fined CK Hutchison Holdings Limited's U.K. subsidiary Three after an investigation found that Three broke an important rule designed to ensure everyone can contact the emergency services at all times.

"Following our investigation, Ofcom found Three had breached the requirement to ensure uninterrupted access to the emergency services. The breach of the rules was not the incident itself, but rather the weakness identified in Three's network," the regulator said.

Ofcom said the investigation found that Three did not act deliberately or recklessly. However, the fine reflects the seriousness of the breach, given the potential impact on public health and safety.

The penalty incorporates a 30% reduction to reflect the co-operation offered by Three during the investigation, including admitting the breaches identified by Ofcom, it said.

Write to Razak Musah Baba at razak.baba@wsj.com; Twitter: @Raztweet

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 16, 2017 04:57 ET (08:57 GMT)