Italy ready to act on 5G
Italy’s Ministry of Economic Development (MISE) has announced the launch of a public consultation into the liberation of spectrum in the 700MHz band. The aim is to come up with a roadmap to ensure the effective release of frequencies by all network operators as well as multiplex restructuring ahead of the EU’s 30 June 2020 deadline for freeing up the 694-790 MHz frequency band. The consultation is open for comment until 06 May.
The country’s communications regulator Agcom last month announced that Italy’s first 5G spectrum tender due to take place by the end of the year after the watchdog proposed making available spectrum in the 700MHz, 3.6-3.8GHz and 26.5-27.5GHz bands in concessions lasting until 2037 and reiterated the reserve price of EUR 2.5 billion in total proceeds. A total of 30MHz will be offered for 15 and half years in the 700MHz band with a portion of 5 or 10MHz reserved for a “new entrant” (that is, any operator apart from TIM, Vodafone or Wind Tre).