Conclusion of the multi-band auction including spectrum in the 1500 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz bands.
The Danish multi-band auction including spectrum in 1500 MHz (1427-1517), 2100 MHz (1920-2170), 2300 MHz (2360-2400), 3.5 GHz (3.41-3.8 GHz) and 26 GHz (24.65-26.5) ended on April 21, 2021, a month and a half after the beginning and five bidding phases. It raised 2.076 billion DKK (279.1 million EUR).
Denmark becomes the fourth European Member State to have auctioned 26 GHz spectrum. Spectrum in the 700 MHz band was assigned in April 2019 alongside frequencies in 900 and 2300 MHz.
TDC Net won 45 MHz in the 1,500 MHz band (1427-1472 MHz), 2×20 MHz in the 2,100 MHz band (1940-1960/2130-2150 MHz), 40 MHz in the 2,300 MHz band (2360-2400 MHz), 130 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band (3.41-3.54 GHz) and 1,250 MHz in the 26 GHz band (24.65-25.9 GHz) for 794.7 million DKK (106.9 million EUR). TDC was the only player to get spectrum in all the bands for sale.
Hi3G Denmark acquired 2×20 MHz in the 2,100 MHz band (1920-1940/2110-2130 MHz), 120 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band (3.54-3.66 GHz) and 1,000 MHz in the 26 GHz band (26.5-27.5 GHz) for 540.5 million DKK (72.7 million EUR).
TT-Network, the Telia-Telenor joint-venture bought 45 MHz in the 1,500 MHz band (1472-1517 MHz), 2×20 MHz in the 2,100 MHz band (1960-1980/2150-2170 MHz), 140 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band (3.66-3.8 GHz), including the rental obligation for private networks, and 600 MHz in the 26 GHz band (25.9-26.5 GHz) for a total permit price of 741.0 million DKK (99.6 million EUR).
Conditions attached to the 3.5 GHz licences are similar for the three winners. They must ensure a population coverage of 60% by December 31, 2023, and 75% by December 31, 2025. Coverage requirements are also set in the 2,100 MHz frequency band in poorly covered areas. 122 areas are concerned. Each licence holder has taken on a part of these areas which are distributed as follows: the TT Network was allocated 41 areas in group1, TDC Net got 40 areas in group2 while Hi3G Denmark got 41 areas in group3. The coverage map can be seen here.
The Danish Energy Authority had previously issued temporary licenses in the 3.5 GHz frequency band.Players have started to deploy 5G in some parts of the country since the second half of 2020. TDC launched commercial 5G services in the 3.5 GHz band in Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus and Helsingør in early September 2020. The company claimed that by December 2020, 3,800 base stations had been equipped with Ericsson’s 5G technology throughout Denmark, with a footprint of 90% of the population.Hi3G Access announced it switched its 5G network on in Copenhagen and Roskilde in mid-December 2020, using frequencies in the 700 MHz and 1800 MHz bands. The operator expected to roll out 5G across one-third of its network by mid-2021 and intends to complete its nationwide network by mid- 2022.
Telenor and Telia activated their 5G network in November 2020 using the 3.5 GHz band and covering parts of Copenhagen and Aalborg.
