The Norwegian Department of Transport and Communications said it has lowered the ceiling for new 900 MHz spectrum allocation, on competition grounds. The cap has been reduced from 2 x 20 MHz to 2 x 15 MHz, and it will instruct regulator Nkom accordingly. The frequencies will be assigned following an auction which the ministry hopes will take place before summer 2017.
The department said it considers it very important to maintaining competition that a single operator should be prevented from building up too large a chunk of airwaves. It said that on 30 June 2016, Telenor Norway had 57.9 percent of mobile market revenue, Telia Norway 32.3 percent and Ice Norway 1.6 percent. Ice’s development of a third national network will boost competition, said the government department.
Nkom had originally intended to hold an auction in June 2016 for two times 20 MHz of spectrum in the ranges 880-915 MHz and 925-960 MHz, split into four blocks of two times 5 MHz each. In the consultation, Telia had asked for the frequency ceiling to be changed from two times 20.1 MHz (four blocks) to two times 15 MHz (three blocks). Telia had protested that Telenor would be likely to purchase resources in order to limit Telia’s ability to compete with it.
