Swedish telecoms regulator PTS has named the country’s three existing mobile operators, TeliaSonera, Net4Mobility and HI3G Access (3 Sweden), as winners of the tender for the 800 MHz spectrum. The auction has raised a total of SEK2.054 billion (US$321 million). TeliaSonera bid SEK854 million to secure a 25-year licence of 2x10 MHz and 3 Sweden received two frequency blocks for SEK431 million. Net4Mobility, the joint venture between Tele2 Sweden and Telenor, won 2x10 MHz for a total of SEK769 million, of which SEK300 million will be used to provide broadband to households in poorly-covered areas.

The PTS auction of licenses for the use of radio transmitters in the 800 MHz band has been concluded. Three bidders won licenses for approximately SEK 2 billion.

PTS’s auction over the Internet was concluded after almost five days of bidding and 31 bidding rounds. The total amount for all licenses sold is SEK 2,054,000,000 (approximately EUR 233 million).

SEK 300 million comprise bids for coverage and the license holder that has won the frequency block FDD6 shall use this sum to cover those permanent homes and fixed places of business that lack broadband.

In addition, the winning bidders will pay a processing charge of SEK 200,000 per block to PTS.
PTS has today announced a decision on the assignment of licenses to the winning bidders. The licenses are valid to and including 2035.

Com Hem AB and Netett Sverige AB also participated in the auction but did not win any licenses.

Göran Marby, PTS director general, comments:
- Now the license holders can start using the 800 MHz band for, for example, mobile telephony and wireless broadband, in order to meet the consumer demand for services. The license holders can chose which technology and service that they want to use within the band. That will warrant a cost effective rollout and gives the opportunity for new technological solutions.
- It is also gratifying that SEK 300 million during the next few years will be used to cover precisely those households and companies that lack coverage today. This is a part of getting broadband coverage in the whole country