The regulator BNetzA has completed the clearance process for the band.
Background: BNetzA completed the award of the 700MHz band back in 2015. In contrast with the recent auction of 2GHz and 3.6GHz frequencies, operators paid a relatively low price for the 700MHz spectrum compared to other European countries – a total €1bn, as opposed to €2.8bn in France and €2.04bn in Italy. However, these airwaves were not immediately available for MNOs.
The clearance is complete: On 4 July 2019, BNetzA announced that the spectrum auctioned in 2015 in the 700MHz band can now be used. It took a conversion of digital terrestrial television services from DVB-T, which used the 700MHz band, to DVB-T2, which uses the lower range between 470MHz and 694MHz. The 700MHz band is now completely free, says BNetzA, and can be used for mobile broadband nationwide.
Operators will now have to fulfil their coverage obligations: In the 2015 auction, successful bidders were obliged to achieve coverage of at least 97% of the households in each Federal Länder, and 98% nationwide as of 1 January 2020. In addition, they should aim for full coverage of the main traffic routes, as much as “legally and practically” possible. BNetzA notes that these frequencies will make it possible to obtain transmission rates of at least 50Mbps per antenna, and that the very minimum households can expect from the market are speeds of at least 10Mbps.
