France’s highest administrative jurisdiction has rejected a request from Free Mobile to suspend the auction for 4G licences, Reuters reports.
Free Mobile sought to block the process, which will start on 15 September because it considered unfair that…
France’s highest administrative jurisdiction has rejected a request from Free Mobile to suspend the auction for 4G licences, Reuters reports.
Free Mobile sought to block the process, which will start on 15 September because it considered unfair that the price of the licence should be paid when the frequencies are granted.
The Conseil d’Etat said in a release that there was no emergency to stop the auction because even if Free had less financial capacities than older operators, there was no evidence that it could not take part in the process. The court will rule on the merits of the case in the coming months.
In July, telecoms regulator ARCEP announced the tender to award spectrum in the 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz frequency bands. Applications for the 2.6 GHz band must be submitted by September 15, with the deadline for the 800 MHz band set for December 15.
Allocation of the spectrum is expected in the autumn for the former and in early 2012 for the latter.
France mentioned that it expected to raise at least E2.5bn from the spectrum sale, E1.8bn for the 800 MHz frequencies and E700m for the 2.6 GHz, since the latter is considered to be lower quality.
There are currently three 3G operators, Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom, operating in France, whereas Free Mobile, which was granted its 3G licence in 2010, will launch in 2012.
All four are expected to bid for the frequencies
