Sweden: Licenses in the 1800 MHz band

The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) has announced that auction to assign 2x35 MHz in the 1800 MHz band will take place starting on 11 October.

Additional information at the PTS’s website.

France: Allocation of 4G frequencies (2.6 GHz and 800 MHz)

The submission of the applications for licenses to spectrum in the 2.6 GHz frequency band has concluded today.

The Autorité de regulation des communications électroniques et des postes (ARCEP) issued on 15th June 2011 the following calls for application for spectrum awards:

- Call for applications for the allocation of 2.6 GHz-band spectrum

- Call for applications for the allocation of 800 MHz-band spectrum (part of digital dividend), whose deadline for submitting applications is 15th December 2011

According to the news published by ARCEP, Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile, Orange France and Société Française du Radiotéléphone (SFR), has submitted applications for licenses in the 2.5 GHz band.

The results of the procedure are expected to be announced by mid-October 2011.

The entire news can be read at ARCEP’s website.

Italy: Public tender in the bands 800, 1800, 2000 and 2600 MHz for LTE services

The Ministry of Economic Development, Department of Communications, (hereafter ‘The Ministry’) has issued a tender for the assignment of rights to use frequencies in the bands 800, 1800, 2000 and 2600 MHz for LTE services, as per Resolution No. 282/11/CONS (May 18, 2011) published in the Official Gazette nº 140 of June 18, 2011, ordinary supplement nº 150, and supplemented by Resolution No. 370/11/CONS (June 23, 2011).

Applications are accepted until 30 days after from the date on the publication in the Official Gazette (last 31st of August).

More information can be consulted at The Ministry’s website. Tender documents and the status on a daily basis is shown on the link.

Romania: Public consultation on amending the National Table for Frequency Allocation

The National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) has launched a public consultation on amending the National Table for Frequency Allocation (NTFA), approved by Order of the Minister for Communications and Information Society no.789/2009, with the subsequent amendments.

The aim of this public consultation is to implement the decisions adopted by European Commission, based on Decision 676/2002/EC which provides the legal basis on harmonization of conditions for the availability and efficient use of radio frequencies in the Community. Both decisions, adopted by European Commission during 2010 and 2011, are:

- Decision 2010/368/UE of 30 June 2010 amending Decision 2006/771/EC on harmonisation of the radio spectrum for use by short-range devices

- Decision 2011/251/UE of 18 April 2011 amending Decision 2009/766/EC on the harmonisation of the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz frequency bands for terrestrial systems capable of providing pan-European electronic communications services in the Community

The current draft decision on the one hand transpose into national law the two decisions on the harmonization of radio spectrum. The draft decision also includes other changes NTFA as follows:

- aligning the provisions of NTFA on the use of the band 27.5-29.5 GHz by the Fixed Service and uncoordinated Earth stations of the Fixed-Satellite Service (Earth-to-space), proposed by CEPT Decision ECC / DEC / (05) 01;

- modifying a mistake by omission occurred in the 2234.5 - 2290 MHz frequency band in terms of MMDS systems.

Public consultation was issued 30 of August and period for sending comments is established of only ten days (due date next 9th of September).

Consultative document are available in Romanian language at ANCOM’s website.

Republic of Bulgaria: Public consultation on LTE

The Communications Regulation Commission (CRC) has issued Decision No 841 of 23.08.2011, launching a public consultation on the perspectives for development of LTE (Long Term Evolution) in Republic of Bulgaria.

The status of different frequency bands related to LTE is described through the consultative document. Currently, the development of LTE technology is mainly directed at frequency bands 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2 GHz and 2500-2690 MHz and 3400-3800 MHz.

Finally, CRC launches four questions to be commented, the possible ranges of interest for the development of LTE, the optimum allocation of the spectrum, the possibility to provide spectrum to build LTE networks with a combination of free resources in different bands, and the possibility of participation in a competitive tender.

Comments in written are accepted until 30 days after from the issuance date.

More information at CRC website, where Decision No 841 can be downloaded.

Belgium: Draft decision concerning the frequency 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2 GHz bands

Belgian Institute for Postal services and Telecommunications (BIPT) issued last 11 of August the two following drafts:

• draft BIPT decision concerning the use of UMTS and LTE technologies in the bands 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2 GHz

• draft decision concerning the repartition of the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2 GHz bands

First draft decision provides technical parameters to ensure the coexistence of GSM / EDGE, UMTS / HSPA, LTE and WiMax in the frequency bands 900MHz and 1800MHz. Second one establishes the spectrum allocation between different mobile operators (Belgacom, Mobistar, KPN GB and Telenet-Telco Bidco) in the frequency bands 900MHz and 1800MHz only until November 26, 2015.  Spectrum allocation between November 27, 2015 and March 15, 2021 should be the subject of a later decision.

Comments to both draft decisions are accepted by BIPT until next 1st of October.

Austria: Results of public consultation on future frequency assignments for mobile broadband services

The Telekom-Control-Kommision (TKK, Austria's telecoms regulator) issued last 18th of July the results of the public consultation which was started on February 2011.

The aim of the public consultation on future frequency assignments and on the liberalization of the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz frequency bands was to gather suggestions and to discuss possible future scenarios.

In response to the consultation, the Authority received a total of 18 comments which has been evaluated and used to issue the results.

The regulator is now planning a joint award of all three bands, 800 - 900 - 1800 MHz and plans to hold auctions in the summer of 2012 among other further steps.

All consultation documents can be accessed at the Authority's website.

Albania: Public Tender for one license in 1800 - 1805 MHz

Electronic and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP) in Albania issued last 13^th of July a Public Tender with the Object “On granting 1 (one) right of use in the 1800-1805 MHz frequencies’ band”.

Bids must be submitted not later than next 25^th of September.

Tender documents can be consulted through the following link at AKEP’s website.