Spain is on the verge of launching a licensing process for spectrum in the 2.6 GHz band with a view to boosting 4G coverage, it emerged this weeks.
Speaking at an event in Santander on Monday, telecommunications and information society minister Víctor Calvo-Sotelo said the country will start the 2.6 GHz process "in the coming weeks."
Calvo-Sotelo’s opening speech at a telecoms and digital economy meeting was reported in an announcement by Spain’s Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism. The event was organised by business association AMETIC and the Telefonica Foundation.
The minister noted that 4G networks in Spain currently cover 76% of the population, and that the use of digital dividend spectrum for mobile will help boost that figure.
Spain carried out a previous auction of 800-MHz and 2.6-GHz airwaves in mid-2011. That sale raised €1.65 billion.
Calvo-Sotelo also addressed the issue of fibre rollout in Spain. 61% of the population has access to speeds of 100 Mbps, while 65% has access to 30 Mbps broadband, he said.
