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8/8/2019 Due%20Hague%20GSMA

1/11

Tackling the economic and practical issues raised by refarming


2/11

GSM Association 2009

900 refarming in four European countries

Incumbent New entrant Government Current statusFinland (2007) Removed GSM onlyrestrictions on 900

licensees allowing

them to deploy

UMTS

New 900 entrantsnot the issue Revenue collectionno objective

Technical and

service innovation

3 operators rollingout UMTS 900

Commercial launch

of UMTS900 by 07

France (2008) Removed GSM onlyrestrictions on 900

licensees allowingthem to deploy

UMTS

New 900 entrants

not the issue

Revenue collection

no objective

Technical and

service innovation

Public decision

making

accomplished

UK (?) Advocating theirright to maintain

their existing band

width

Advocating access

to the 900 band

Challenges.

Risk of battling legal

challenges

Consultations,

discussions,

potentialcourt cases.

Timeline for

accomplishment?

Sweden (2009) Replaced GSM onlylicenses expiring by

2010 with

GSM/UMTS/LTE

licenses expiring in

2025 for four

incumbents

900 band expanded

and usage rights

reshuffled to

accommodate the

fifth 900 licensee

No auction no

collection of

revenue

Technical and

service innovation

Incumbent and new

entrant agreed.

Regulator approved.


3/11

November 2007: Elisa launched the worlds firstcommercial UMTS900 network

November 2008: DNA Finland reveals it wants tobecome second Finnish operator to roll-out UMTS900

July 2009: TeliaSonera revealed their plans ondeploying UMTS in the 900 band

Source: http://www.elisa.com/english/index.cfm?t=7&o=7120.00&did=14417

Approach seemed to be government/regulator, operatorsand vendors working towards common understandingand agreeing upon the objectives

De-facto accomplishment of 900 refarming yearsprior to issues being sorted out in Brussels and onthe European arena in general

GSM to UMTS refarming for existing licensees
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.travel-images.com/finland.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.travel-images.com/finland.html&usg=__cgVW3wbDN5Lp-9xMaZK2K7kAJPI=&h=332&w=542&sz=2&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=br-H747AMHZW5M:&tbnh=81&tbnw=132&prev=/images?q=finland&hl=en&sa=X&um=1


4/11

2008: the French authorises its 900

licensees to deploy UMTS in addition toGSM in the 900 band

Re-farming of the band accomplished whileBrussels is struggling to sort out theirformalities but inline with European technicalharmonisation work carried out

GSM to UMTS re-farming for existing

operators
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org/data/images/international%20cooperation/france_flag.png&imgrefurl=http://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org/web/page/685/sectionid/557/pagelevel/3/interior.aspx&usg=__fjoAME6MFJwtlNK3XBkQUqOi1CY=&h=300&w=450&sz=2&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=HLhpJKh3WD-E1M:&tbnh=85&tbnw=127&prev=/images?q=france&hl=en&sa=X&um=1


5/11

Resent years the regulator have carriedout several consultations on future use ofand awards of spectrum for mobile,e.g. 2600 auction, 700/800 MHz band (digitaldividend), future use of 900 and 1800 bands

Responses highlight the importance oftaking interrelations of future use of variousmobile bands into consideration whenmaking decisions affecting one band

Existing mobile operators with no 900spectrum advocate they should be givenaccess to 900 spectrum

Incumbents in the 900 band have agreed

to disagree on 900 refarming

No conclusions reached on 900 refarming
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg


6/11

Facing 2010 expiry of 900 licenses and seekingcertainty prior to taking upgrade investments

November 2008: four existing 900 licensees andfifth mobile operator (2100 based 3G operator)

negotiated and agreed prior to filing a jointapplication on renewal of licenses, expanding the900 band and relaxed terms and conditions

February 2009: regulator consulted on their draftdecision and draft licenses up for award

March 2009: regulator approved expanding the900 band, awarding new licenses expiring in 2025and issued licenses suitable for GSM, UMTS andLTE deployment

March 2009: Tele2 and Telenor launched theirplans for rolling out joint LTE network (both bought2X20 MHz of 2600 spectrum in the 2008 auctionand both were awarded 900 spectrum in 2009

Telenor and Hi3G have joint UMTS/HSPA networkTele2 and Telia have joint UMTS/HSPA network
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Sweden.svg


7/11 GSM Association 2009

Change of technology in the 900 band is exiting and challenging

All countries are basically different

Aggregated band width differs between countries can band be expanded?

Number of existing licensees differ 900 band is divided into licenses differently indifferent countries

Number of existing subscribers accommodated differs (level of GSM congestion)

Tailor made solutions required Period of future GSM operation will probably be different

Period of co-existence between GSM and UMTS/LTE will differ

How to transform existing band plan and licensees will differ depending upon existingsituation

Existing licensees spectrum portfolio and technology deployment differ

960880 915 925

2 x 35 MHz

10

MHz

900 refarming learnings



Spectrum for mobile broadband

Sufficient band widthrequired!

Combination of coverage spectrumand capacity spectrumrequired!

Keeping cost as low as possible means operators (network equipment)and consumers (handsets) must benefit from economies of scale

Benefitting from economies of scale only possible if

Spectrum bands are internationally harmonised, and Technical/operational terms and conditions are harmonised

Operators investment decisions are interrelated

Value of one frequency band depends upon what other spectrum bands an

operator have or most likely can get access to Spectrum cost being sunk as soon as spectrum is bought is a text book

theory which do not apply in real world

Spectrum cost is taken into consideration in the business case for anetwork roll-out as is



Core mobile bands for UMTS/HSPA and LTE!

960

806698

8

MHz

748 756

The 700 band 2 x 50 MHz

8

MHz

The 800 band 2X30 MHz

790/791 862


880 915 925

The coverage bands



The 2600 band 2X70

10MHz

10MHz

20MHz

30MHz

50MHz

1710 1785 1805 1880

1920 1980 2110 2170

2500 2570 2620 2690

The capacity bands

Spectrum required for mobile industry to provide cost efficient broadband!


10/11

THANK YOU. For more information visit www.gsmworld.com

Kristin Due Hauge Spectrum Policy Director [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]



Brief History of the GSMA

Founded in 1987 by 15 operators committed to the joint development ofa cross border digital system for mobile communications

Became the global trade group for the mobile industry, representing thevast majority of mobile phone networks across the world

Now encompassing commercial, public policy and technical initiatives,ensuring mobile services work globally

The Associations members now serve more than 4 billion customers

More than 750 operator Members across 218 countries

Over 200 Associate Members (manufacturers and suppliers)

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