Luxembourg’s ministry for communications and media announced that four bidders have successfully secured 5G spectrum in the auction that took place in mid-July for 700 MHz and 3,600 MHz frequencies. Overall, the licence holders will pay EUR 41.3 million for their fifteen-year licences. In the 3,600 MHz band, the country’s three mobile network operators were awarded most of the spectrum, with Post and Orange securing 110 MHz each and Proximus Luxembourg acquiring 100 MHz.
Telecom operator Luxembourg Online, which launched as a MVNO in 2007, was the fourth winner, obtaining 10 MHz of 3,600 MHz spectrum. Eltrona, which qualified to enter the auction, was not awarded any frequencies.
In the 700 MHz band tender, participants bid for six lots of 2x5 MHz. This spectrum went to the country’s three network operators with an even split (2x10 MHz each).
As announced in March, a number of obligations will apply to licence holders, including the requirement to have at least ten cell sites in service within the Luxembourg municipality by the end of the year, alongside the medium-term target to reach nationwide coverage by 2025.
Luxembourg’s regulator ILR said that the auction started on 13 July and ended five days later after 38 rounds of bidding. The country had previously awarded spectrum without the need to hold an auction. For the first time, however, demand for the frequencies on offer exceeded the amount of spectrum available.
Following the announcement of the winners, Proximus Luxembourg confirmed that its two brands, Tango and Telindus, have been working towards launching 5G commercial offers by the end of the year.
