The Belgian telecoms regulator has sold three 800 MHz licences in an auction to the country’s three mobile operators: state-owned Proximus, KPN’s Base and Orange’s Mobistar.
The licences, sold for a total €360m (US$483m), are valid for 20 years…
The Belgian telecoms regulator has sold three 800 MHz licences in an auction to the country’s three mobile operators: state-owned Proximus, KPN’s Base and Orange’s Mobistar.
The licences, sold for a total €360m (US$483m), are valid for 20 years and will allow the companies to offer 4G services.
Each operator was awarded two blocks of 10 MHz frequencies, the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT) said in a statement.
Base welcomed the announcement, saying the win will accelerate its “cost-effective” 4G network rollout and its aim for nationwide coverage by the end of 2014.
Meanwhile, Mobistar said the acquisition will boost its rural coverage and enable it to prepare for a projected growth in mobile data services. Under its licence conditions, the operator, which is controlled by French incumbent Orange, will be required to cover at least 98% of rural areas by 2016.
BIPT announced the call for auction candidatures in August this year, with an end-of-September deadline to submit bids.
The 800 MHz band was freed up after Belgian television’s digital switchover.
