4G frequencies gold: a faster allocationThe outcome of this second round has been rapid, considering their importance. Unlike the first 4G licenses on the 2.6 GHz band, which ARCEP had delivered its verdict after several months, it only took a few days a week to be precise, to the Authority to assign frequencies so-called "gold "on the 800 MHz band. It must be said that time is short, the mobile network begins to saturate with the democratization of smartphones, using a large bandwidth for Internet browsing.
Free Mobile will be satisfied with homelessnessA fierce battle was announced, was the case. The big loser in this story is called Free Mobile, which did not get lots of frequencies. ARCEP considered that the future mobile operator, to be launched in a few days, did not meet the conditions of accession to the 800 MHz frequencies, namely the commitment to planning, commitment home virtual mobile operators (MVNO) and the amount of money proposed for the frequencies.
Free Mobile will have to settle for homelessness, probably on the SFR network, which was granted two lots on the 800 MHz band. Roaming will be available as soon as Free Mobile reaches 25% coverage of the territory on the 2.6 GHz band, as provided by ARCEP. A seemingly deliberate Free Mobile, which did not seek at all costs these "frequencies or": "We said we would be reasonable, and also indicated that the offer was very unfavorable for a new entrant like us. We have no regrets. If we had thought it was vital for us, we would have been more aggressive, and now we consider that we have everything we need, "has said Maxime Lombardini, chief executive of Iliad Group, parent company of Free.
SFR is the package and allows itself two sets of frequenciesSo the winner of the second round. With two wins in four batches (10 MHz duplex), SFR has the package, contrary to initial licensing 4G where the operator had been rather quiet, with no less than 1.05 billion euros over the table. Orange and Bouygues Telecom share the remaining two lots (10 MHz duplex) with respectively 891 million euros and 683 million euros.
In total, Orange will have spent 1.3 billion euros, 1.2 billion euros SFR, Bouygues Telecom 911 million euros and Free Mobile up the rear with 271 million euros (only for frequencies in the 2.6 GHz band).
The State looks forward to a "complete success"Earlier in the day, the state, through the voice of the Industry Minister Eric Besson, welcomed the "full success" associated with the licensing 4G. It is true that between the frequencies distributed in September and yesterday, the state will reap an additional one billion euros compared to the minimum amount. So close to a whopping 3.5 billion euros (900 million for the 2.6 GHz band and 2.6 billion euros for the 800 MHz band) that the State will win in total. A very nice sum.
It only remains to wait for operators launching their first 4G capable of providing a theoretical transfer rate of 100 Mbit / s (equivalent to the optical fiber). According to some analysts, the first offers should arrive in 2013.
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