Local 5G network permits will be available from December 2023.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate has announced that local 5G network permits will be made available for industrial players who want to roll out their own digital infrastructure in the 3.6 GHz band.
Licences will be issued on a first-come-first-serve basis. In total two portions of 50 MHz will be made available in the 3400-3450 MHz and 3750-3800 MHz frequency ranges. Permits will be valid until December 31, 2040.
The Ministry says that all applicants will have the same rights to the spectrum and it urges companies to take into account the obligation of mutual cooperation with other permit holders.
These permits are not expected to be used by the country’s mobile network operators. This is because operators are still awaiting the Netherlands 3.6 GHz auction which will assign nationwide spectrum licences.
The Netherlands has not yet announced a date for its 3.6 GHz band auction which is pending as the current user of the band Inmarsat has yet to relocate its operations. A total of 300 MHz will be made available at auction, while 100 MHz is reserved for local network deployments.
