Switzerland to Create Several New GSM Licenses

Switzerland's telecoms regulator, ComCom has opened a tender for additional GSM frequencies. The aim of the award is the stimulation of the Swiss mobile radio market by means of innovative projects. In order to achieve this aim, the frequencies will be awarded using a criteria-based competition which excludes the three existing GSM operators. Though it would be theoretically possible to set up a fourth national mobile radio network, the results of a consultation carried out in 2002 indicated that this is unrealistic.

ComCom specified certain selection criteria for the invitation to tender: the business plan, the technical concept and its implementation, the influence on market stimulation and innovative strengths, as well as the coherence and plausibility of the project. The fulfilment of the legal licence requirements and proof of secure financing for the project are prerequisites for the candidature dossier's being evaluated (qualification criteria).

Three radio licences for the provision of telecommunications services in Switzerland based on the GSM standard are being put out to tender. Each of these licences has a bandwidth of 3.8 MHz (19 channels). Bidders can tender for one or more licences. The option also exists to extend the frequency configuration of these licences by applying for further frequency blocks, each with a bandwidth of 1 MHz. A total of three such supplementary blocks are available. ComCom will specify the definitive bandwidth for selected licensees when the licences are awarded. Essentially, the possibility exists that between 0 and 3 licences with a total bandwidth of 15 MHz will be awarded. It should be mentioned by way of comparison that the current three GSM operators each have access to a bandwidth of around 25 MHz.

The invitation to tender will be formally opened on 15 July 2003. Interested bidders must submit their candidature dossier to OFCOM by 30 September 2003 at the latest. It is planned that ComCom will give a decision on the awarding of the licences before the end of this year."

Posted to the site on 16th July 2003