Hong Kong Plans Auction of Additional GSM Radio Spectrum

Hong Kong's telecoms regulator, Ofta has issued proposals to auction off additional GSM1800 radio spectrum. The regulator will be making available the radio spectrum of 4.8 MHz
x 2 in the 1800 MHz band (1780.1 - 1784.9 MHz paired with 1875.1 - 1879.9 MHz) to existing Mobile Network Operators for service expansion. The spectrum will be divided into six blocks for bidding.

The spectrum licenses will expire in 2021, which synchronizes with the existing GSM licenses.

A proposal to also sell off some spare GSM900 spectrum has been delayed pending a review of a future high speed railway, the Express Rail Link (XRL) is completed.

The Simultaneous Multi-Round Ascending (SMRA) auctioning arrangement will be used in this auction exercise. There is no restriction or cap on the amount of spectrum that a bidder can acquire in the auction.

It is targeted to complete the necessary subsidiary legislations process by end 2008, to publish the bidding documents or Information Memorandum in early 2009 for information of the interested parties, and to conduct auction in the first half of 2009.

Posted to the site on 7th July 2008