PTS discontinues the auction process in the 700 MHz band
The Swedish Government made the decision today that the 694-790 MHz frequency space should be available for terrestrial television broadcasting subject to a permit obligation up to and including 31 May 2018.
This decision revokes the decision made by the Government in 2014 to release the frequency space for other use from and including 1 April 2017. As the auction planned by the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) in the 700 MHz band includes parts of this frequency space, PTS made the decision today to discontinue the auction process.
The auction would have started on 1 December 2016.
Catarina Wretman (Acting Director-General of PTS) issued the following statement:
“Today I decided to discontinue the auction process as a consequence of today’s Government decision concerning the frequency space in question. The Government has announced that the reason for today’s decision is a changed security policy situation and that there is an ongoing investigation into an advanced and secure broadband solution for stakeholders within public order, health, security and defence.
The Government decision has altered the preconditions for the assignment in the 700 MHz band in such a way that we cannot implement the auction as planned. We intend to resume work on how the band should be assigned when these preconditions have become clear.”
Read the Government’s press release here (Swedish).
Background
The Swedish Government decided on 27 February 2014 that the 694-790 MHz frequency space should be available for use other than terrestrial television broadcasting. The opportunities to increase coverage and the data capacity for mobile services were a factor in the Government decision. PTS has therefore been working on the assignment of 2x30 MHz in the band. The band is appropriate for creating good area coverage and increased capacity for mobile services such as telephony and broadband.
Further information about PTS’s work.
For more information:
PTS’s Press Office, tel.: +46 (0)8-678 55 55