Russia’s comms minister Nikolay Nikiforov has given the green light to plans to auction spectrum in the 1800 MHz band.
The State Commission for Radio Frequencies (SCRF) made the decision to auction the airwaves in October last year and now Nikiforov has approved that decision, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications announced on Friday.
The ministry said the decision marks the first time that Russia w ill allocate 1800-MHz spectrum via auction.
"It’s a historical event, waited [for] by operators and users," said Nikiforov, in a statement.
Organising the 1800-MHz auction "is an important step towards [the] establishment of competition on [the] telecom market in Russia," he added.
The ministry has yet to announce exactly when the auction will take place. "Protocol on auction results should be signed no later than 30 September 2015," it said.
The auction of frequencies in the 1710–1785 MHz and 1805–1880 MHz range will take place in nine regions: Amur, Orenburg and Samara Oblast, Republics of Buryatia, Dagestan, North Ossetia-Alania, Perm and Stavropol Krai and Karachay-Cherkess Republic.
The price of spectrum will vary depending on frequency and location. Minimum prices range from 500,000 roubles to 240.4 million roubles (€9,000-€4.3 million), the ministry said.
