New Zealand operator Spark announced it has secured spectrum for 5G roll-out over the next 12 months. The government has decided to use a direct allocation process, rather than an auction, giving Spark and 2degrees access to frequencies in the 3.5 GHz band.
Spark said it will receive management rights to 60 MHz of 3.5 GHz (or C Band) spectrum, and the government's Radio Spectrum Management Unit said 2degrees would receive the same amount. In addition, the company Dense Air has been allocated 40 MHz in the band.
Spark said it plans to switch on 5G sites in major centres and regions across the North and South islands over the next year. It also plans to work with the government to accelerate the timeline for the longer-term spectrum auction, which is currently scheduled for November 2022.
In March this year, Spark selected Samsung Electronics for the deployment of its 5G network. Samsung Networks will provide Spark with its 5G New Radio (NR) services, including Massive MIMO radios.2degrees said in a statement that the government's decision "strikes the right balance in a world impacted by Covid-19". While its immediate priority is ensuring customers continue to have access to reliable connectivity via the 4G network, access to 5G spectrum will allow 2degrees to continue its 5G network planning and site acquisition so it can build and test the technology. This will provide time for 5G uses cases to develop, and initial deployments, in advance of the auction in 2022, the company said.
No prices or exact timeframe were disclosed for the spectrum allocations. The government previously planned to auction the spectrum in February, but withdrew the plans due to the Covid-19 crisis. Vodafone has already launched 5G in New Zealand, using existing frequencies in the 3.5 GHz band it holds.
