Demand Does Not Exceed Offer in the Auction for Frequencies in the 3.4 – 3.8 GHz Band
16.10.2015
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Following the analysis of the initial bids submitted by the five bidders in the auction for awarding licences for the use of radio frequencies in the 3410-3600 MHz and 3600-3800 MHz bands, ANCOM’s auction commission announces that the demand does not exceed the offer in any of the bands and that each operator has gained the number of blocks requested in the initial bid. The procedure for granting the rights for the use of radio frequencies will continue by the additional round and by the assignment rounds.
On Monday, 19 October 2015, an additional round will be organised for the unawarded frequency blocks. Â All the bidders wishing to submit an offer for one or several of the unawarded blocks, as well as the amount they are willing to pay for acquiring these blocks, may participate in this additional round.
The auction will be completed by the assignment rounds, where the operators may request a certain position in the frequency band, corresponding to the abstract blocks gained. With a view to being assigned a preferred position in the band, during the assignment round, the bidders must submit an offer indicating the amount they are willing to pay therefor.
Upon the auction completion, the Commission will announce the number of blocks gained by each bidder, as well as the licence fee they will have to pay for the respective rights of use.
The following operators participate in the auction: 2K Telecom, Orange Romania, RCS&RDS, the National Radiocommunications Company and Vodafone Romania.
16 paired blocks (2x5 MHz bandwidth) available on a national level in the 3.4 - 3.6 GHz band and 36 unpaired blocks (5 MHz bandwidth) available on a national level in the 3.6 – 3.8 GHz band have been auctioned out within the selection procedure. The new spectrum usage rights will enter into force from 1 January 2016, for a 10-year period.
In these bands, the winners will be able to provide, on a nationwide basis - among others - data transmission and broadband wireless internet access services.
Currently, there are seven licences in force in the 3410-3600 MHz band, held by Orange Romania, UPC Romania, Vodafone Romania and 2K Telecom. All of them have been issued for the nationwide provision of public electronic communications networks and services, by means of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Nomadic Wireless Access (NWA) applications. There is one licence in the 3600-3800 MHz band, awarded to the National Radiocommunications Company, for the provision of public electronic communications networks and services by means of broadband wireless access (BWA) applications, on a national level. All these eight licences are valid until 31 December 2015.