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The Auction for the Frequencies in the 3.4 - 3.8 GHz Band Goes on, with Assignment Rounds
19.10.2015
The Commission for the auction organised with a view to awarding the rights of use for the radio frequencies in the 3410-3600 MHz and 3600-3800 MHz bands announces that, following the completion of the additional round organised yesterday, the winning bids and bidders were established. According to the bids submitted so far, the participating operators will have to pay to the state budget more than 9 million euro.
On 26 October 2015, assignment rounds will take place, during which the operators may bid for a certain position they prefer within the frequency band, corresponding to the abstract blocks won during the auction. 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 overall final amount of the licence fees they will have to pay to the state budget 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.
