Spectrum Newsletter – September 2024

This edition of the Spectrum Newsletter for up to the end of July 2024 highlights the spectrum auction activity in four regions worldwide:

• the Americas (Latin America (LATAM) and North America (NA))
• Asia–Pacific (emerging Asia–Pacific (EMAP) and developed Asia–Pacific (DVAP))
• Europe (Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Western Europe (WE))
• the Middle East and Africa (MEA). 

Notable events in the period include the following.

• Austria. On 26 March 2024, the Austrian regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications (RTR) completed its auction of spectrum in the 26GHz band and regional usage rights for residual frequencies in the 3.6GHz band. The auction raised USD29.1 million in total. In the 26GHz band, seven blocks of 200MHz were available. H3A paid USD7.5 million for three blocks of spectrum, and Magneta Telekom and A1 Telekom each paid USD5.01 million for two blocks each. All three operators paid over the reserve price, which was set at USD2.1 million per block of 200MHz of spectrum. Spectrum in the 3.6GHz band was divided into seven regional blocks, including two blocks of 10MHz, one block of 40MHz and four blocks of 60MHz. A1 Telekom won the two blocks of 10MHz and two blocks of 60MHz (130MHz of spectrum). A1 Telekom paid USD3.98 million in total for its spectrum. T-Mobile secured the one block of 40MHz and the remaining two blocks of 60MHz (160MHz of spectrum in total), paying USD7.6 million.
• Netherlands. On 1 July 2024, the Government of the Netherlands held its national 5G spectrum auction for a total of 300MHz of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band that started on the 25 June 2024. The auction raised a total of USD188 million. Three blocks of 60MHz were offered in the primary phase, followed by 12 blocks of 10MHz. KPN, Odido and VodafoneZiggo each secured one 60MHz licence and four 10MHz licences. KPN and Odido paid USD63 million and Vodafone paid USD62 million. The winning operators will be able to start using the new frequencies in the 3.5GHz band from 24 July 2024. The total duration of the permits is more than 16 years: up to and including 31 December 2040.
• India. On 2 July 2024, the India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) published the provisional results of its regional multi-band spectrum auction. The auction raised USD3.3 billion. The auction involved the participation of three bidders: Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio. 5G spectrum in eight bands – 800MHz, 900MHz 1800MHz, 2100MHz, 2300MHz, 2500MHz, 3.3GHz and 26GHz – was available. All spectrum in the 800MHz, 2300MHz, 3300MHz and 26GHz bands was unsold. Bharti Airtel was the highest bidder in the auction and acquired 194MHz of spectrum across the 2100MHz, 1800MHz and 900MHz bands. Vodafone Idea acquired 49.2MHz of spectrum in the 2500MHz, 1800MHz and 900MHz bands. Reliance Jio acquired 28.8MHz in the 1800MHz band.
• Latvia. On 19 March 2024, the Latvian regulator SPRK, held an auction for spectrum in the 1800MHz band. Tele2 and Latvijas Mobilais Telefons acquired spectrum. Tele2 secured the most spectrum at 2×0.4MHz of frequencies in the 1800MHz band, paying USD34 749, and Latvijas Mobilais Telefons secured 2×0.2MHz of spectrum paying USD17 374. Both operators paid over the reserve price, which was set at USD30 300 for 0.8MHz. The duration of the licences is set for 12 years until 9 January 2036.
• Chile. On 17 June 2024, the Chilean regulator Subsecretaría de Telecomunicaciones (SUBTEL) announced the results of its second 5G spectrum auction. The auction involved two participants: Claro Chile and Entel Telefónica. Five blocks of 1×10MHz of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band were available. Claro came out as the highest bidder and secured all five blocks paying USD89.9 million. The auction was originally planned to take place between the 13 and 20 March 2024 but SUBTEL decided to modify the auction dates due to wildfires. The delay gave time for telecoms companies in Chile to repair infrastructure damage caused by the fires.
• Vietnam. On 9 March 2024, Vietnams Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) published the results of its 5G spectrum auction for frequencies in the 2500–2600MHz band. On 22 March 2023, MIC officially approved the results. Viettel emerged as the winner after 24 rounds of bidding and was assigned 100MHz of spectrum in the 2500–2600MHz band, paying USD357 million. On 20 March 2024, MIC published the results of a second 5G spectrum auction for frequencies in the 3.7–3.8GHz band. Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) was awarded all 100MHz of spectrum after 17 rounds of bidding, paying USD139.5 million for the 15-year licence.
• Reunion. On 13 February 2024, Arcep published the results of its spectrum auction in the 900MHz band. Seven blocks of 2×5MHz frequencies in the 900MHz band were available as of 1 May 2025. Orange SA, SRR and Telco OI each secured 10MHz (2x5MHz) of 900MHz spectrum, paying USD8.7 million each. Zeop Mobile secured 5MHz (2×2.5MHz) of spectrum in the 900MHz band and paid USD0.