The UK mobile industry is gripped by speculation about who may bid for Telefonica’s O2 UK arm now that Hutchison’s acquisition has been blocked. Liberty Global, BSkyB or a group of private equity firms (Apax Partners, CVC Capital Partners and KKR, according to local media reports) are said to be in the frame, or Telefonica might decide to float the unit to raise the money it needs to reduce its debt. However, far more important for the future of competition in the UK mobile and multiplay market are the consultations being conducted by regulator Ofcom, which could result in more spectrum being available to support mobile broadband, as well as the new revenue streams which MNOs badly need to counteract…