On 15 December 2005 the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) and the Office of Communications (Ofcom) published a joint consultation entitled “Award of available spectrum: 1785 – 1805 MHz”. Seminars to discuss the award were held in Dublin and Belfast in February 2006. Since then, Ofcom has undertaken further technical studies to help gain information about the implications of the 1785-1805 MHz award in Northern Ireland for licensees in neighbouring bands. A further seminar to discuss the conclusions to these technical studies was held in Belfast on 8 November 2006. This document summarises the comments received and sets out the decisions taken for the separate, but co-ordinated, competitions to use the spectrum at 1785 - 1805 MHz.
This joint statement sets out ComReg’s and Ofcom’s conclusions and decisions on the wide range of matters raised in response to the consultation, including:
- the bidding process, auction rules and auction design
- the jurisdictional basis for the awards
- spectrum packaging and spectrum harmonisation
- spectrum co-ordination issues
In summary, the licences to be awarded in each jurisdiction will be for the single lot of 20MHz of spectrum, between 1785MHz and 1805MHz, by sequential sealed bid auctions, first in Ireland and then Northern Ireland.