New Zealand’s Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister Kris Faafoi has confirmed Cabinet approval for the allocation of short-term rights to an unused portion of 3.5 GHz spectrum. This is the first spectrum band to be allocated for 5G data services. Short-term rights will run from mid-2020 to 31 October 2022.
The government believes early access to this spectrum “will allow the telecommunications industry to move forward in their development and deployment of 5G services now, rather than waiting until long-term rights are switched on in November 2022".
Short-term allocation of spectrum will also be made to Maori, and a support programme to build Maori capability in spectrum-related industries will be developed.
The government plans to release further details of the short-term allocation early next year.
Long-term rights to 3.5 GHz spectrum are still on track to begin in November 2022 and details of this allocation will continue to be developed over the next two years.
Back in February this year, the New Zealand government announced that the first spectrum band to be allocated for 5G services would be the 3.5 GHz band, with new rights starting when existing rights in this band expire in November 2022. However, about one half of the 3.5 GHz band is currently unallocated. The government is allocating short-term rights to this unused portion of 3.5 GHz spectrum.
These national rights will be allocated as management rights for a term beginning mid-2020 until 31 October 2022 . The rights will be allocated via auction. The government plans to cap the amount of spectrum allocated to one network operator in the auction to promote competition. Successful bidders will be required to return to the Crown existing management rights they hold elsewhere in the 3.5 GHz band to optimize the use of this spectrum.
