Page 133 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Migration Determination to start on 14 December 2020, Toowoomba and Townsville; 3492.5MHz–3510MHz
‘most’ enhancements to the Complaints Handling for Ballarat, Bendigo and Toowoomba; and 3400MHz–
Standard and Consumer Information Standard will start 3475MHz and 3510MHz–3542.5MHz for ‘specified
on 1 April 2021. (October 20, 2020) commsupdate.com regional areas’. Meanwhile, the minister is said to
be considering making the designation notice at the
With spectrum in the 3.4GHz (3400MHz-3575MHz) conclusion of the ‘restack’ of regional apparatus
band in Australia currently subject to a mix of spectrum licenses in the band, as per proposals put forward by
and apparatus licensing arrangements, the Department the Australian Communications and Media Authority
of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development (ACMA) in November 2019. For its part, the ACMA
and Communications (DITRDC) has begun consulting has said that designating the frequencies and areas
on a plan to optimize and free up spectrum to support as proposed would align with the approach it had
the rollout of 5G and in the process, improve regional previously proposed, which it noted would include:
access to broadband while still supporting current the conversion of NBN Co’s apparatus licenses to
uses of the band. In its consultation document spectrum licenses in metropolitan and defined regional
regarding the matter, the DITRDC noted that the areas to facilitate the defragmenting of Optus and NBN
country’s communications minister is considering Co’s 3.4GHz spectrum holdings; excising urban areas
exercising powers to designate parts of the spectrum of NBN Co’s 3.4GHz license holdings and investigating
in the 3.4GHz band ‘for allocation by spectrum options to make them available for use by other wireless
licenses with respect to specified areas’. As per the broadband operators; and allocating more of the band
draft designation notice, spectrum licensing has been for spectrum licensing in regional areas, optimized
proposed as follows: the 3400MHz–3425MHz and for use by wide-area broadband deployments such
3492.5MHz–3542.5MHz portions of the band to be as those by NBN Co and mobile network operators.
designated for licensing in metropolitan areas (i.e. With the DITRDC now seeking stakeholder views
the regional capitals of Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, on its proposed approach the licensing and on the
Melbourne, Perth and Sydney); 3400MHz–3425MHz designation notice, it has said any feedback received
for the major regional centers Albury, Ballarat and will ‘inform advice to the Minister on how to proceed’.
Bendigo, Cairns, Hobart, Launceston, Rockhampton, (September 28, 2020) commsupdate.com

Austria’s Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting & million for 30MHz of frequencies in the 1500MHz
Telecoms (RTR) has completed its delayed 5G auction band and 2×25MHz in the 2100MHz range. Finally,
of spectrum in the 700MHz, 1500MHz and 2100MHz Hutchison Drei Austria won 2×10MHz of 700MHz
bands, raising a total of EUR201.9 million (USD239.1 spectrum, 30MHz in the 1500MHz band and 2×20MHz
Austria million). The allocation of licenses was originally of 2100MHz frequencies for a total of EUR49.6 million.
expected to take place in April but was postponed in In total 1,702 out of 2,100 underserved or unserved
March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 27 communities will receive mobile broadband coverage
blocks were up for sale, including six blocks in the by 2027, under commitments attached to the 700MHz
700MHz band, twelve in the 2100MHz range and nine spectrum licenses. Hutchison Drei will supply 738
in the 1500MHz band. T-Mobile Austria (Magenta communities, followed by T-Mobile Austria (Magenta
Telekom) was the highest bidder, paying a total of Telekom) with 615, and A1 with 349. Through the RTR’s
EUR86.7 million for 2×20MHz of 700MHz spectrum, ‘bonus system’ – whereby operators were able to
20MHz in the 1500MHz band (plus 10MHz which was secure a reduction in the spectrum price if they agreed
assigned to the cellco but has ‘restricted usage’) and to cover additional underserved areas – a further 802
2×15MHz of 2100MHz spectrum. A1 Telekom Austria communities will also be supplied.
did not secure 700MHz spectrum, but will pay EUR65.6 (September 14, 2020) commsupdate.com

Belgian telecoms regulator the Belgian Institute for band in July to enable operators to proceed with 5G
Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT) has deployments following delays to a planned multiband
redistributed temporary licences in the 3.6GHz-3.8GHz spectrum auction. Orange Belgium, Proximus and
band following Entropia Investments BVBA’s failure to Telenet Group, which were originally assigned 40MHz
Belgium pay for its requested permit. Most of released 40MHz of frequencies each, will now receive a 50MHz block.
block of frequencies will now be divided between The fourth eligible operator Cegeka did not request an
Orange Belgium, Proximus and Telenet. The regulator increase to its 40MHz allocation. As a result of these
granted short-term user rights in the 3.6GHz-3.8GHz changes, the BIPT has assigned the frequencies as

133 SEP-OCT 2020