France Steps Closer to 3G at 900Mhz
The French telecoms regulator, ARCEP says that it has adopted and is sending to the Minister Delegate for Industry a decision proposing the procedures and conditions for authorising a further 3G network in Metropolitan France.
This decision follows a public consultation carried out between October 5 and November 17, 2006 in which players expressed interest in the assignment of the fourth 3G licence.
This consultation was launched by ARCEP in order to prepare ways of reusing the 900 and 1800 MHz frequencies for 3G, which is necessary to extend the coverage of third-generation mobile networks beyond the current deployments in the 2 GHz band. In order to do this, players had to be questioned about their interest in the fourth 3G licence, which is still available, to determine whether three or four operators must be considered in the sharing plan of the 900 and 1800 MHz bands reused for 3G.
It is now up to the minister to launch the application process by publishing simultaneously the related financial conditions."
Posted to the site on 21st February 2007
