Portugal’s 4G auction rules do not provide the clarity needed for bidders to make informed decisions on their investments, mobile operator Vodafone has warned.
According to Vodafone Portugal, draft rules put forward by regulator Anacom for the country’s…
Portugal’s 4G auction rules do not provide the clarity needed for bidders to make informed decisions on their investments, mobile operator Vodafone has warned.
According to Vodafone Portugal, draft rules put forward by regulator Anacom for the country’s LTE spectrum auction in June do not work on behalf of the public interest.
“In fact, the draft auction document presented by Anacom is unclear about several measures that are crucial to enabling an informed and considered investment decision by potential bidders, such as guaranteeing transparency about candidates and bidders which is essential for ensuring a competitive environment, and the proper balance between the amount payable for the spectrum and the subsequent investment needed to develop the network and quickly introduce an innovative offer of 4G services,” the operator said in a statement yesterday.
In addition, Vodafone is calling for a non-sequential auction to ensure effective competition in the allocation of the frequency bands. The company pointed to other European countries, including Germany and Denmark, where such a measure has already been implemented.
“Vodafone Portugal therefore believes that [Anacom] and the government, the bodies legally responsible for assigning spectrum usage rights, will, in view of the huge investment that is required of bidders, recognise the need for a model that ensures the appropriate use of frequencies while allowing the speedy implementation of network development plans to ensure more efficient use of the 4G/LTE spectrum by operators,” the company continued.
A public consultation on the auction rules was concluded on 2 May. Anacom has stated that Portugal’s 4G auction will take place sometime in June, but has yet to release a specific date.
