Page 131 - SAMENA Trends - March 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Sector watchdog the Luxembourg Institute of of at least 50% of territory by 31 December 2022
Regulation (Institut Luxembourgeois de Regulation, and 90% by 31 December 2024. Operators awarded
ILR) has opened a public consultation on the procedure 3600MHz spectrum will need to deploy ten sites in the
for the auction of frequencies in the 700MHz and Luxembourg commune by the end of 2020, and at least
Luxembourg 3600MHz bands. The consultation will close on 10 April 20 sites nationally by 30 June 2021, increasing to 40
and candidates must register to take part in the auction
by the end of 2022 and 80 by 31 December 2024. The
by 25 May. The available frequencies being auctioned auction will consist of two stages. The first stage will
comprise 2×30MHz in the 700MHz band (703MHz- determine the total bandwidth to be assigned to each
733MHz), divided into six lots of 2×5MHz, and 330MHz bidder in each band by means of a SMRA-Clock-Hybrid
in the 3600MHz band (3420MHz-3750MHz), divided auction format. The second stage will determine the
into 13 lots of 10MHz each. Candidates will be limited specific frequencies within each band to be assigned
to 2×10MHz in the 700MHz band and 1×120MHz in the to each winner of lots. The winning bidders will initially
3600MHz band, of which at most 80MHz can be in the be given the opportunity to agree specific frequency
form of large blocks. A reserve price of EUR2.81 million assignments between themselves, on the condition
(USD3.12 million) has been set for each lot of 2×5MHz ever winner receives contiguous frequencies in each
spectrum in the 700MHz band and EUR300,000 for band, and any potentially unsold spectrum will be
each 10MHz of 3600MHz frequencies. The frequency retained as a contiguous block within the band.
management rights will be for an initial period of 15 Should the winners fail to reach an agreement within a
years with the possibility of a renewal for a further five timeframe specified by the ILR, spectrum winners will
years. Winning 700MHz bidders will be required to use be able to bid for their referred position in each band in
the assigned spectrum to ensure outdoor coverage a single round of bids. (March 16, 2020) commsupdate.com

Mexican conglomerate Grupo Salinas has announced The Federal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto
that the Federal Telecommunications Institute (Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) has indicated
Federal de Telecomunicaciones, IFT) has extended the that it is considering postponing its planned auction
concession held by its fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) ISP of 5G-suitable spectrum in the 600MHz band, as a
Mexico business, TotalPlay Telecomunicaciones (TotalPlay). result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The
frequency sale was expected to be held in the second
The 30-year license renewal will run from 17 October
2025 until October 2055. Confirming the development, half of 2020. BNAmericas quotes IFT commissioner
Grupo Salinas stated: ‘TotalPlay will continue investing Arturo Robles as telling reporters that: ‘the auction
in Mexico, to generate greater economic, social and dates would have to be evaluated [because] spectrum
environmental value and promote well-being and auctions do not take place during pandemics’.
progress in the communities where it has a presence.’ TeleGeography notes that Mexico successfully cleared
TotalPlay was launched in November 2010 by Ricardo the 600MHz band by October 2018, claiming that its
Salinas, Mexico’s second-richest man, and was migration timeline made it the first country in the world
initially operated as a subsidiary of the subsequently to fully release the 600MHz band for mobile broadband
divested mobile operator Iusacell. The company has use. Other frequencies under consideration to support
aggressively expanded its FTTH networks in recent the introduction of Mexican 5G services include the
years, and now has a presence in more than 40 major 1900MHz, 2.3GHz and 3.3GHz bands.
cities across Mexico. (March 31, 2020) commsupdate.com (March 26, 2020) commsupdate.com

The government of the Netherlands has invited set at a total of EUR900 million (USD1.016 billion), and
applications from domestic and foreign companies to 700MHz licenses carry a network coverage requirement
participate in the 5G auction expected to take place of 98% of the surface area of each Dutch municipality
in June this year. Government agency Agentschap within two years alongside specific minimum speed
The Telecom, part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs & standards (including minimum 8Mbps at the ‘worst
Climate Policy, announced on 6 March that operators
points’ of networks) aimed at a national average
Netherlands have until 6 April to submit their applications for the mobile data speed above 100Mbps. An individual
multi-round auction for mobile frequencies in the spectrum cap of 40% of total available frequencies will
700MHz, 1400MHz and 2100MHz spectrum bands, be applied; this cap includes current licenses held by
while State Secretary for Economic Affairs Mona incumbent Dutch cellcos, a measure aimed at ensuring
Keijzer published the final auction regulations (see link at least three 5G providers. During the auction, the
below for full details). Reserve spectrum bid prices are Ministry will inform participants about the total

131 MARCH 2020