Onitelecom - Infocomunicações, S.A., (Onitelecom) is the holder of the Right of Use of Frequencies ANACOM no. 6/2006 issued on 23 November 2006, which authorises the use of a block of 2x56MHz, corresponding to the 24.549 GHz-24.605 GHz and 25.557 GHz - 25.613 GHz frequencies for FWA systems in geographical areas 1, 2 and 9, as defined in Decree no. 1062/2004 of 24 August.
By letter dated 29 December 2010 1, Onitelecom requested that ICP-ANACOM give approval to the phased deactivation of its FWA network based on the non-maintenance of the products and the abandonment of their lines by the manufacturers. It claims that the absence of a standard on the band in question limits the offer of proprietary equipment and systems, whereby the infrastructure in operation is approaching the end of its life cycle with no possibility of support by the supplier.
As such, Onitelecom claims that, in due course, it will be compelled to abandon this technology, and it proposes to undertake a phased deactivation of existing FWA infrastructure 2 within five years, according to the following plan (no. of base stations at the end of each year, from 2010 until the end of the period of the license):
|
Years |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Zone 1 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
8 |
0 |
|
Zone 2 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Zone 9 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
It is further clarified that, with respect to Zone 1, deactivation will start in 2013, with the closure of all stations completed during the year 2014. With respect to Zone 2, deactivation will begin in 2011, with closure of this area completed during 2013. Zone 9 will be maintained until the end of 2014, and then deactivated.
In this context, it requests ICP-ANACOM to give approval to the plan to deactivate the FWA network as proposed.
1 Letter with Ref. 140/GRL/2010, arriving at ICP-ANACOM on 05.01.2011 (AH000592/2011), with follow-up sent on 7.02.2011, by letter with Ref. 009/GRL/2011, arriving at ICP-ANACOM on 10.02.2011 (AH007206/2011).
2 Under the terms of the annotation made to the Right of Use of Frequencies (annotation no. 1) on 4 February 2009, it would involve the installation of a total of 21 base stations. (annotation available at Acesso Fixo Via Rádio (FWA)https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=287159 (Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)).
