Spectrum auction for 26 GHz frequency band

Frequency auction ended 

The auction ended on 8th of June 2020 at 11.40 am. Results of the auction:

Read Traficom's news about the end of the auction

Auctioning of licences in the 25.1-27.5 GHz frequency band

On 6 February 2020, the Government invited applications for licences for telecommunications in the 25.1-27.5 GHz band. The licences will cover the whole Finland with the exception of Åland. The licences will be granted by auction.

There have been four previous spectrum auctions in Finland. The 2500-2690 MHz frequency band was auctioned in 2009, while the 791-831 MHz/832-862 MHz auction was held in 2013, the 703-733/758-788 MHz auction in 2016, and the 3410-3800 MHz auction in 2018. The wireless broadband networks introduced on these auctioned frequencies enable fast connections almost throughout Finland. 

In Europe, three frequency bands have been identified as pioneer bands for 5G networks. In Finland, the 700 MHz band and the 3.5 GHz band are already assigned for this purpose through the previous auctions, and the third pioneer band of 26 GHz will be auctioned in summer 2020. 

The World Radiocommunications Conference 2019 (WRC-19) allocated the 26 GHz frequency band worldwide for 5G networks. In the European Union, necessary decisions have been made in order to introduce the frequency band for 5G networks, and now the member states should assign at least 1 GHz of that band available for 5G networks by the end of 2020.

Finland is one of the first countries in the world to grant licences for 5G networks. Finland is going to grant more frequencies per operator in the 26 GHz band than any other country in the world.

Legal provisions for the frequency auction

Auctioning of the 26 GHz frequency band requires necessary amendments for two Government Decrees. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency’s auction regulation and the technical licence conditions for the radio licences will also be amended for this purpose. 

The Ministry of Transport and Communications has circulated the Government decree on the auction of radio frequencies in the 25.1-27.5 GHz for consultation. The decree contains provisions regarding the standard provisions for the frequency auction, such as the number of frequencies, the maximum number of frequencies to be allocated to an organisation, the auction model to be used, the starting bids, the participation fee, and the payment schedule for the licence. 

The consultation also suggests amendments to the Government decree (1246/2014) on radio spectrum use and frequency allocation plan so that the frequency allocation plan would be amended to cover the 25.1-27.5 GHz band intended for auction.

Simultaneously, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency has invited comments on its Regulation (64 C M) on the process of auctioning network licences in the 25.1-27.5 GHz frequency band. It contains further provisions on registration for auctioning and on the process and procedures applied in the auction. Furthermore, comments are also invited on the technical licence conditions for the 25.1-27.5 GHz frequency band.

Comments

Comments on the spectrum auction can be found in Finnish and Swedish at lausuntopalvelu.fi. (External link)

Furthermore, EMEA Satellite Operators Association (ESOA) submitted its comments directly to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency. These comments are available only in English.

Based on the comments on the draft regulation submitted during the consultation round, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency amended its draft regulation 64 C/2020, explanatory notes to regulation 64 C, the technical licence conditions for 26 GHz, and the background regarding technical restrictions of use in the 26 GHz band.
Up-to-date version of Traficom Regulation 64 C/2020 M on auctioning of network licenses in the 25.1-27.5 GHz frequency range and explanatory notes to regulation 64 C can be found at finlex.fi. (External link)

The Government project service in Finnish. (External link)

Background information

Background information regarding technical restrictions of use referred to in the licence conditions and in the technical licence conditions for the 26 GHz band is available in this memorandum. See also Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/590 (updated).