13 Apr 2017

Icelandic telecoms watchdog the Post and Telecom Administration (Post-og Fjarskiptastofnun, PTA) has launched an auction for LTE-suitable frequencies in the 700MHz, 800MHz, 2100MHz and 2600MHz bands. All interested parties were invited to submit their applications by 2 May, with the auction set to be held on 22 May. The regulator is selling off twelve blocks of technology-neutral spectrum as follows:

• Block A (with 15-year validity): 2×10MHz (713MHz-723MHz/768MHz-778MHz), with a minimum bid of ISK35.0 million (USD305,000)

• Block B (15 years): 2×10MHz (723MHz-733MHz/778MHz-788MHz), ISK35.0 million

• Block C2 (15 years): 2×5MHz (832MHz-837MHz/791MHz-796MHz), ISK35.0 million

• Block D2 (15 years): 2×5MHz (837MHz-842MHz/796MHz-801MHz), ISK35.0 million

• Block E (five years): 2×5MHz (1935MHz-1940MHz/2125MHz-2130MHz), ISK5.5 million

• Block F (five years): 2×5MHz (1970MHz-1975MHz/2160MHz-2165MHz), ISK5.5 million

• Block G (five years): 2×5MHz (1975MHz-1980MHz/2165MHz-2170MHz), ISK5.5 million

• Block H (ten years): 2×20MHz (2500MHz-2520MHz/2620MHz-2640MHz), ISK10.0 million

• Block I (ten years): 2×20MHz (2520MHz-2540MHz/2640MHz-2660MHz), ISK10.0 million

• Block J (ten years): 2×10MHz (2540MHz-2550MHz/2670MHz-2680MHz), ISK5.0 million

• Block K (ten years): 2×10MHz (2550MHz-2560MHz/2670MHz-2680MHz), ISK5.0 million

• Block L (ten years): 2×10MHz (2560MHz-2570MHz/2680MHZ-2690MHz), ISK5.0 million.

Blocks A, B, C2 and D2 will come with a number of rollout obligations. Successful bidders with previously assigned frequencies in those bands will be required to offer mobile broadband services with download speeds of 10Mbps to 95% of the Icelandic population by the end of 2018, while downlink of 50Mbps must be offered to 99% of the population by December 2022. New entrants, meanwhile, must offer downlink of 10Mbps to 60% of population by 1 September 2018, while download speeds of 50Mbps must be available to 99% of population by end-2023.