Swiss federal communications commission ComCom has launched the public tender for mobile frequencies in the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz and 2.6 GHz ranges. Some frequencies are directly available for use and some are part of the existing GSM and UMTS licences of Swiss mobile operators Swisscom, Sunrise, Orange Switzerland and In&Phone, and will become free on 31 December 2013 and 31 December 2016, respectively. The frequencies will be auctioned and interested parties have until 18 March 2011 to apply for the auction that will take place during the first half of 2011. The application needs to include the maximum amount of spectrum they wish to purchase within the individual bands as well as a bank guarantee in the amount of the minimum bid for the frequencies they are applying for. They must also prove that they can meet the statutory licensing requirements and the specific obligations of the invitation to tender. If a candidate meets the requirements, it will be authorised by ComCom to take part in the auction. To prevent possible collusion and agreements between the bidders as far as possible, ComCom will not unveil the bidder names. The licences will be valid until 2028 and the frequencies will be awarded technology-neutral enabling operators to deploy all technologies. The auction format is designed so that both the number of licences and the available bandwidth are not predetermined by ComCom. The auction will be conducted using an electronic auction system from UK-based DotEcon and allows secure bidding over the internet and has already been used successfully in Denmark, England, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Hong Kong.
The auction will consist of 6 blocks (2x5 MHz) of 800 MHz valid from 1 January 2013 until 31 December 2028 and a minimal offer of CHF 21.3 million per block; 7 blocks (2x5 MHz) of 900 MHz valid from 1 January 2014 until 31 December 2028 and a minimal offer of CHF 21.3 million per block; 1 block of 1.8 GHz (2x10 MHz) valid from now until 31 December 2028 and a minimal offer of CHF 16.6 million; 13 blocks of 1.8 GHz (2x5 MHz) valid from 1 January 2014 until 31 December 2028 with a minimal offer of CHF 7.1 million per block; 1 block of 2.1 GHz (TDD) (1x5 MHz) valid from now until 31 December 2028 and a minimal offer of CHF 4.15 million; 3 blocks of 2.1 GHz (TDD) (1x5 MHz) valid from 1 January 2017until 31 December 2028 and a minimal offer of CHF 2.7 million per block; 3 blocks of 2.1 GHz (FDD) (2x5 MHz) valid from now until 31 December 2028 and a minimal offer of CHF 8.3 million per block; 9 blocks of 2.1 GHz (TDD) (2x5 MHz) valid from 1 January 2017until 31 December 2028 and a minimal offer of CHF 5.4 million per block; 14 blocks of 2.6 GHz (FDD) (2x5 MHz) valid from now until 31 December 2028 and a minimal offer of CHF 8.3 million per block; 3 blocks of 2.6 GHz (TDD) (1x15 MHz) valid from now until 31 December 2028 and a minimal offer of CHF 12.45 million per block; and 1 block of 2010-2025 MHz (1x15MHz) valid from now until 31 December 2028 with a minimal price of CHF 12.45 million. The number of frequencies blocks in the auction amounts to 61 and the minimal revenue amounts to more than CHF 600 million.
