Hong Kong’s Office of the Telecommunications Authority (Ofta) is looking to award spectrum that was left over from a 2009 auction in the 90 MHz and 2.3 GHz bands.
In a statement, Ofta said that the auction rules and licensing arrangements in the auction,…
Hong Kong’s Office of the Telecommunications Authority (Ofta) is looking to award spectrum that was left over from a 2009 auction in the 90 MHz and 2.3 GHz bands.
In a statement, Ofta said that the auction rules and licensing arrangements in the auction, expected to take place in the second half of the year, will follow those of the 2009 auction.
New entrants and incumbent licensees will both be allowed to participate but a spectrum cap of 30 MHz will be imposed.
This announcement comes as cellcos SmarTone and 3 recently won 15-year unified carrier licences in an auction held by the Ofta. Other participants in the bidding process were China Mobile Hong Kong, Hong Kong Telecommunications (PCCW), fibre-based broadband operator Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN), and CSL, a local operator owned by Australian incumbent Telstra.
OFTA said that it raised HK$1.952bn (US$250m) in the sale, which saw SmarTone pay HK$875m (US$112m) for spectrum in the 832.5-837.5MHz band paired with the 877.5- 882.5MHz, and 3 Hong Kong pay HK$1.077bn (US$138m) in the 885-890MHz band paired with 930-935MHz.
