The regulator Nkom has decided to carry on as planned with the award of spectrum across seven bands.
Background: The Norwegian regulator Nkom has been preparing an auction of spectrum in seven bands since 2017. These include the 10GHz, 13GHz, 18GHz, 23GHz, 28GHz, 32GHz, and 38GHz bands. On 6 May 2020, Nkom commenced the auction as planned.
What is on offer: 65 lots of spectrum across the seven bands are up for grabs, with reserve prices ranging from NOK14,000 (USD1,347) to NOK197,000 (USD18,958). Licences for spectrum up to the 18GHz band are valid from 1 January 2021 to the end of 2044. Lots in higher bands will be awarded until the end of 2037: 43 of them will be available from 1 January 2021, whereas 12 will be usable from 1 January 2022, and 11 of them from 1 January 2023. Spectrum caps are in place – 40% overall, and 40% in low frequency bands, which result in 2545MHz and 370MHz, respectively.
COVID-19 does not stop the auction: On 20 April 2020, Nkom disclosed the names of the six participants in the auction (Ceragon Networks, Found, GlobalConnect, Ice Communication, Telenor, and Telia). Having consulted with the participants, the regulator concluded that the award could go ahead as planned. However, the financial burden on winners will be partially eased by the Nkom’s decision to postpone the payment deadline until November 2020. The decision to go ahead with the auction makes Nkom an outlier, with regulators in countries such as Portugal, Belgium, and the UK having postponed their plans to award spectrum. On the other hand, some regulators such as ComReg in Ireland and ICASA in South Africa have released spectrum on a temporary basis, to help mobile operators deal with increased demand during the pandemic.
