The UK regulator has opened three consultations for its 5G auction.
Background: In December 2018, Ofcom proposed to auction spectrum in the 700MHz and 3.6–3.8GHz bands by early 2020. This included proposed coverage obligations for up to two winning bidders (good outdoor mobile coverage to at least 90% of the UK’s landmass within four years of the award; and winning bidders to reach at least 140k properties currently without good outdoor coverage, and to deploy at least 500 new transmitter sites).
What was announced today? Ofcom now starts three separate consultations on auction rules, statutory instruments linked to the award, and ways to verify how coverage obligations will be met. The principal stage of the auction is proposed as a combinatorial clock one. With regard to coverage, Ofcom is consulting on a coverage prediction model it has developed, with a threshold calibrated on the predictions of obligated operators at the time of the award.
Next steps: All these consultations are open until 12 March 2019, the same deadline as the main consultation which was opened last December. Statements will be published later in the year, with the view to be ready for the award by early 2020.
