Following the publication of the public consultation by the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT), the process of re-granting mobile telephony spectrum in the 900 and 1800 MHz bands is officially launched.
The rights of use under renewal currently belong to the three mobile telephony providers – OTE, Vodafone and Nova – with the Commission putting up for public discussion two alternative approaches to their duration: granting for 20 years or granting for an indefinite period. These options are within the current national institutional framework and are consistent with the new European regulation Digital Networks Act.
EETT sets the starting price for a potential auction – in the event of a differentiation of demand between the three providers or the entry of a fourth player – at 224.86 million euros for the new 20-year period.
The spectrum that must be re-allocated, as the existing rights expire in 2027, concerns a total of 70 MHz of paired spectrum (2×35 MHz) in the 900 MHz band and 40 MHz of paired spectrum (2×20 MHz) in the 1800 MHz band.
OTE, Vodafone and Nova had paid a total of 380.535 million euros. Taking into account corresponding procedures in other countries, the Commission’s valuation is part of a broader European regulatory approach, which gives priority to the financial viability of providers and to supporting investments in networks, rather than to maximizing direct fiscal revenues.
An element of EETT’s proposals is the establishment of spectrum caps, with the aim of preventing over-concentration and ensuring conditions of healthy competition. In particular, for the 900 MHz band, a limit of 30 MHz per provider is being considered, while for the 1800 MHz band a limit of 70 MHz is being considered, taking into account spectrum that expires at different times.
The rights come with increased network development and coverage obligations. At 900 MHz, voice and broadband services are provided with a minimum nominal rate of 50 Mbps in the downlink, while at 1800 MHz the corresponding limit is set at 100 Mbps. In both bands, coverage targets of up to 99% of the population and 95% of the land area are set, within seven years of the entry into force of the new rights.
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