Frances Approves 3G at 900Mhz for Rapid Deployment

France's telecoms regulator has approved plans to allow the incumbent GSM network operators to reuse their 900Mhz bands for 3G services. The regulator also announced that any 3G new entrant authorised following the application procedure for the fourth UMTS licence would also have access to the 900 MHz spectrum once it has been returned by the existing 2G operators. The spectrum would be made available in late 2009 outside densely populated areas, and in late 2012 for the rest of the country.

The procedure would differ slightly depending on whether the 4th 3G license is awarded.

If the 4th 3G license is awarded, then the incumbents 900Mhz spectrum would be refarmed so that the new entrant would gain 5Mhz duplex and the incumbent operators would retain about 10 MHz duplex each. If a license is issued by the spring of 2008, the new entrant would have 5 MHz duplex in 900 MHz freed in late 2009 outside heavily populated areas for the operation of its 3G mobile network, then in late 2012 in heavily populated areas. If the 4th license is not awarded, then the incumbents would retain their existing 900Mhz spectrum allocations and their use of 3G spectrum will be reviewed in March 2011.

The reuse of the 1800 MHz band in the four-operator configuration will be examined at a later date, with a timetable adapted to market demands.

The Mobile World estimates that the three French operators have around 5.7 million 3G subscribers - out of a total base of 49.6 million mobile phone users."

Posted to the site on 9th July 2007