E-Plus emerges highest bidder in German auction
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Telefonica SA’s (TEF) O2 has been beaten by E-Plus as the latter placed the highest bid in Germany’s mobile spectrum auction, which started on Monday. EUR8.6 million each for two blocks in the 800 megahertz band has been bid by E-Plus. O2 had placed the highest bids in the first round. The process will continue for a week.
The spectrum is said to be the most valuable spectrum for being the most cost-efficient way to build next generation mobile networks. 800MHz, 1.8GHz, 2GHz and 2.6GHz are the four different bands of spectrum offered and a digital dividend’ spectrum freed up from the switch from analogue to digital TV is also included. T-Mobile, Vodafone, KPN (E-Plus) and Telefonica’s O2 are the four local operators bidding in the auction.
The total value of the three bidding rounds on Monday was EUR116.78 million and it is expected to reach up to EUR8 billion. German network regulator is auctioning a total of 41 frequency blocks across the four bands and the auction’s progress can be followed on Bundesnetzagentur’s Web site: www2.bundesnetzagentur.de/frequenzversteigerung2010.
Germany’s LTE auction begins
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: All the four of Germany’s main operators are expected to compete in the country’s first auction of new mobile spectrum for a decade conducted for new bandwidth suitable for next-generation mobile technologies such as LTE. The auction has been declared as one of its kind in Europe paving way for other such auctions in the continent.
No details regarding the profits from the auction has been revealed by the German regulator, Bundesnetzagentur but it has predicted that the auction will be less lucrative than the 3G auctions ten years ago. In the auction which took place in 2000, around EUR50 billion was made by the government. EUR1.5 million (for a 5MHz block), compared with EUR25.57 million in the 3G auction has been set as the minimum bid this time.
800MHz, 1.8GHz, 2GHz and 2.6GHz are the four different bands of spectrum offered and a digital dividend’ spectrum freed up from the switch from analogue to digital TV is also included. T-Mobile, Vodafone, KPN (E-Plus) and Telefonica’s O2 are the four local operators bidding in the auction.
German spectrum auction to have four bidders
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: All four established network providers of Germany are allowed to participate in the upcoming spectrum auction but no newcomers will be bidding. The announcement has been made by German federal network regulator Bundesnetzagentur.
An auction would be organized by the regulator for several spectrums in four bands which are not used any more by broadcasters or the military, including the most important spectrum, 800 megahertz band best suited to for fourth-generation networks.
According to Bundesnetzagentur, one interested party had expressed initial interest but has since withdrawn from the process, while another didn’t fulfill the conditions to participate in the auction. Details have not been divulged by the regulator.
The spectrum auction will start on 12 April at 1100 GMT, and the list of the bidders includes Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone PLC, Royal KPN NV’s E-Plus and Telefonica SA’s O2.
Deutsche Telekom (DT) suggests cableco regulation
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Deutsche Telekom (DT) has raged a debate by calling for a regulation for cable networks to be opened up to allow non-discriminatory access. Similar regulations have already being proposed in the Netherlands and Denmark.
According to CEO Rene Obermann, cable operators that have rolled out broadband wiring in homes should also give access to competitors. However, cable operator KDG feels that regulation could not be justified nor would it be legal according to German and European law since cablecos have only a 10% share of broadband accesses in Germany.
Recently, a similar statement had been released by country’s regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur confirming the lack of significant market power after calls for regulation were made by other telcos.
Deutsche Telekom AG asked to grant rivals access to broadband network
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: German network regulator Bundesnetzagentur, has asked Deutsche Telekom AG to grant rivals like Vodafone PLC, access to broadband network. Through the decision, the regulator wants to ensure that
Deutsche Telekom’s competitors can offer its customers the same bandwidth.
Though Vodafone or Telefonica SA, have their own broadband infrastructure, the last mile which is a copper line and not a fibre one, extending from street cabinets to the home is critical.
According to the order, in case there is a lack of free space in the street cabinets, Deutsche Telekom will have to provide access to empty pipes or dark fiber to its competitors.
While the Deutsche Telekom raised concerns about the decision, it has been welcomed by VATM, the association of Deutsche Telekom’s competitors in Germany.
WiMAX licence to be auctioned
The Bundesnetzagentur, the German regulator, is pre-registering participants for an auction of wireless broadband licences in the 3.4GHz-3.6GHz frequency band. Bidders have until 8 November to register for the auction, which is due to take place in December.
