Bundesnetzagentur conducts public hearing on provision of mobile spectrum
Year of issue 2025
Date of issue 2025.01.07
The Bundesnetzagentur is conducting a public hearing on the provision of mobile spectrum on 9 January 2025 at the request of Freenet AG. The Bundesnetzagentur has today published a handout with an overview of the President’s Chamber determinations being considered for a decision on the provision of spectrum in the bands at 800 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz. The determinations that are being considered are essentially based on the draft document published for consultation in May 2024.
"Our objectives are improving mobile communications and boosting competition. We are looking to attach ambitious coverage obligations to an extension of the spectrum usage rights. One particular focus is on better coverage for rural areas,"
said Klaus Müller, President of the Bundesnetzagentur. "Our goal is also to further strengthen competition in the mobile market. The extension would be accompanied by special arrangements for 1&1. The negotiation requirement benefiting service providers is to be supplemented with guidelines aimed at promoting effective negotiations."
Interested parties are invited to present their views and ideas in the public hearing. The Bundesnetzagentur plans to make a decision on the provision of the mobile spectrum as soon as possible following the public hearing in order to create legal and planning certainty for the market.
Background
Spectrum usage rights in the bands at 800 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz will be expiring at the end of 2025. The spectrum is currently being used by the three established mobile network operators and is contributing to the nationwide coverage of all end-users with high-performance broadband services.
The Bundesnetzagentur had published a draft interim decision for consultation in May 2024, in which an extension of the spectrum usage rights for an interim period was considered as an option.
The handout with details of the President’s Chamber determinations being considered and additional information are available on the Bundesnetzagentur’s website at: www.bundesnetzagentur.de/mobilebroadband.