Background information

To date, three President's Chamber decisions have been issued on the order for and choice of award proceedings and on the conditions for awarding spectrum in the bands 1.8 GHz, 2 GHz and 2.6 GHz for wireless access for the provision of telecommunications services (Order 34/2008, Federal Network Agency Official Gazette 7/2008, page 581ff.)

Provision was made in the economic stimulus package II and in the federal government's broadband strategy adopted by the federal cabinet on 18 February 2009 for the band 790 – 862 MHz to be used promptly to provide sparsely populated areas with innovative mobile applications and broadband Internet access. Following dedication of the spectrum in the band 790 – 862 MHz for wireless access for the provision of telecommunications services this spectrum will be included in the proceedings to award spectrum in the bands 1.8 GHz, 2 GHz and 2.6 GHz for wireless access for the provision of telecommunications services in the interests of swift, unbureaucratic procedures, in line with the aims of the federal government's broadband strategy. Awarding spectrum on a technology and services-neutral basis in a competitive procedure can generate innovative applications, enabling unrestricted access to the Internet to become established in competitive markets, in particular. This should happen above all in regions where broadband Internet access is realised initially as a result of using the digital dividend.

The President's Chamber of the Federal Network Agency opened a consultation on the draft decision to combine proceedings to award spectrum in the bands 790 to 862 MHz, 1710 to 1725 MHz and 1805 to 1820 MHz with proceedings to award spectrum in the bands 1.8 GHz, 2 GHz and 2.6 GHz for wireless access for the provision of telecommunications services (cf Order 34/2008, Federal Network Agency Official Gazette 7/2008, page 582ff) (auction rules, Communication 319/2009, Federal Network Agency Official Gazette 10/2009 of 3 June 2009). In a further step the President's Chamber also opened a consultation on the determinations and rules for conduct of the proceedings to award spectrum for wireless access for the provision of telecommunications services in the bands 800 MHz, 1.8 GHz, 2 GHz and 2.6 GHz in accordance with sections 55(9), 61 subsections (1), (2), (4) and (5) TKG (auction rules) (Communication 390/2009, Federal Network Agency Official Gazette 14/2009 of 29 July 2009).

After studying the responses to the above drafts, the President's Chamber now issues decisions on the following:

1. combining proceedings to award spectrum in the bands 790 to 862 MHz, 1710 to 1725 MHz and 1805 to 1820 MHz with proceedings to award spectrum in the bands 1.8 GHz, 2 GHz and 2.6 GHz for wireless access,
2. ordering award proceedings under section 55(9) in conjunction with section 61 TKG,
3. the choice of an auction in accordance with section 61(1) TKG,
4. the award conditions in accordance with section 61(4) TKG, and
5. the auction rules in accordance with section 61(5) TKG.

Qualification to take part opens with publication of this Decision in the Federal Network Agency Official Gazette The auction itself is scheduled for the second quarter of 2010.

Applications to qualify to take part should be made in writing, in German, in one original and six copies, and electronically in Word or PDF format, to 
Bundesnetzagentur
Referat 212
Kennwort: Versteigerungsverfahren
Tulpenfeld 4
53113 Bonn

The closing date for applications is 15:00 hours on 21 January 2010.