News
Telcos to take part in assignment auction after failing to agree between them which parts of the frequency band each would occupy.
Norway will hold the second phase of its 1800-MHz spectrum auction later this month, at which Telenor and TeliaSonera will fight it out for placement on the frequency band.
The Norwegian Communications Authority (Nkom) on Thursday announced that the telcos have until 28 January to submit their bids for specific locations in the 1800-MHz band.
Norway raised 877.98 million kroner (€95 million) from the sale of 15 MHz of 1800-MHz spectrum in early December.
The lion’s share went to Telenor, which bid NOK585.32 million for 10 MHz of airwaves, while TeliaSonera came away with the remaining 5 MHz for NOK292.66 million. A third participant, Ice Communication Norge, also took part in the auction but was unsuccessful.
Nkom gave the winning bidders until 20 January to negotiate spectrum placement and present a written agreement, otherwise it said it would conduct an assignment auction.
Telenor and TeliaSonera failed to agree which parts of the frequency band each would occupy, therefore that second auction will take place, Nkom said on Thursday.
The spectrum in question was left unsold in a multi-band auction in December 2013.
