Telefónica, Vodafone and Orange take part in the tender for frequencies of the 700 MHz band that will begin before July 21

The State Secretariat for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure has received requests from telecommunications operators Telefónica, Vodafone and Orange to participate in the next 700 MHz frequency auction.

The 700 MHz frequency band has been identified as one of the priority bands for the introduction of 5G services in Europe. The government carries out the auction after completing the process of the Second Digital Dividend in which the frequencies were released, which were being used by digital terrestrial television. The process was completed without significant incidents during 2020, despite the mobility restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 health crisis.

The auction offers a total of 75 MHz divided into 60 MHz for upstream and downstream communications, and 15 MHz for downstream only, distributed in seven state-wide concessions:

­ - Four grants correspond to two 2x10 MHz blocks and two 2x5 MHz blocks, in the paired band 703-733 and 758-788 MHz for upstream and downstream (FDD) communications.

­ - Three concessions in the 738-753 MHz band, each of which will allocate the use of a 5 MHz block for Descending Only Communications (SDL).

The auction will begin before July 21, 2021 and will take place over the Internet, using a secure Electronic Auction Platform (PES). A training session on the use of the Platform will be held before July 19 for companies that have submitted bids for tender.

The bases establish limits on the number of frequencies that an operator can have in any territorial area and that are a maximum of 2 x 15 MHz with respect to the 700 MHz paired band and a maximum of 2 x 35 MHz with respect to the set of spectrum intended for electronic communications in the 700 MHz, 800 MHz and 900 MHz paired bands.