ICP-ANACOM has now launched the public consultation on the renewal process of Vodafone and TMN rights of use of the GSM and DCS 1800 frequencies. In doing so, the regulator wants to consult interested parties, operators and consumers on service operation changes to be introduced at the time the licenses are renewed.
The questions submitted for consultation include that of reinforcing the operators' coverage obligations. Although the regulator recognizes that current coverage levels are high, it believes coverage should be extended to new road arteries, primary railway routes and underground stations, with other locations potentially justifying reinforced coverage as well.
In terms of network access, and even with the analysis of market 15 - access and call origination on public mobile telephone networks - currently in progress, the regulator believes various questions remain regarding the relationship, at the wholesale level, between land mobile service providers and other entities, such as potential virtual mobile network operators, which should be launched at the consultation. In particular, entities which may be interested in obtaining access to GSM networks, the conditions under which these interests may materialize and potential new services from these entities to satisfy end-user needs should all be ascertained.
Given the economic value of the spectrum allocated to Vodafone and TMN, the regulator also intends hearing from interested parties in general on the levying of a specific fee for renewing the rights of use for the GSM and DCS 1800 frequencies.
ANACOM also intends to take advantage of these license renewals to better protect consumer interests by introducing new quality parameters for voice services, which will also be extended to data services (WAP, GPRS, SMS and MMS).
The public consultation now launched by the regulator will continue for 30 working days.
The mobile operators' licenses were issued for a 15-year period, and the question of their renewal for Vodafone and TMN will be the first order of business since their licenses will be the first to expire. The Optimus license does not expire until 2012. In any case, the framework to be defined will ultimately regulate all renewals of frequency rights of use since the regulator has chosen to take this process beyond a mere case study.
Licenses renewals, which entail a 15-year period, must be requested by the operators at least one year prior to the respective licenses expiry date.
Vodafone, whose license expires in October 2006, is the only operator who has requested renewal of frequency rights of use. The TMN license expires in 2007.
Consult:
- Renewal of the rights of use of the GSM 900/1800 frequencies - TMN and Vodafone https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1092841
