Lithuania’s Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT) has ruled that operators are permitted to use their existing spectrum allocations to provide 5G services, Deputy CEO of the RRT Augutis Cesna told BNS. The country is set to hold a 5G auction for spectrum in the 700MHz band in the next few months, with a further auction involving 3.5GHz frequencies will follow in the summer, although the regulator has decided that operators can use their existing spectrum holdings to roll out 5G services. ‘It has been written before that [operators] only have to do this using certain bands that will be auctioned. The operator will now be able to do so using not only the frequencies currently auctioned, but also those already available. It will be easier. They have a lot of frequencies and will decide for themselves which frequencies to use,’ Cesna was quoted as saying.
The upcoming 700MHz auction comprises the sale of one 2×10MHz block (713MHz-723MHz/768MHz-778MHz) and two lots of 2×5MHz (723MHz-728MHz/778MHz-783MHz and 728MHz-733MHz/783MHz-788MHz), with initial prices set at EUR5 million and EUR3 million (USD5.8 million and USD3.5 million), respectively. Participants will be restricted to bidding on one spectrum block during the auction and the concessions are valid for 20 years. Winning bidders are subject to certain rollout and service provision obligations, including a requirement to launch commercial 5G services in at least one of the country’s five largest cities (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai and Panevezys) within six months and to all five by 31 December 2023.