PolicyTracker Spectrum Database updated with latest auction results and awards

The past three months have seen several significant spectrum auctions take place. The auction results can all be accessed in the Spectrum Database and in our Data Explorer, which are now available to Spectrum Research Service subscribers.

In the United States, the AWS-3 auction, the first one held since the Federal Communications Commission regained its authority to hold auctions, raised $3.57 billion. The auction was the first one to feature bidding from Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

The contest saw 17 bidders compete for 200 regional licences across the US. Verizon (bidding as Cellco Partnership) and T-Mobile acquired the licences covering the most people.

Japan held its first-ever spectrum auction, with NTT Docomo paying 6.29 billion yen for a nationwide 26 GHz licence. Beating both KDDI/Okinawa Cellular Company and SoftBank, NTT Docomo is the sole operator nationwide in this band, though new entrants Jtower and High-Tech Inter managed to acquire two smaller regional licences.

Austria held a major auction for the 2.3 GHz and 2600 MHz band, both paired and unpaired spectrum licences being acquired by A1, Three and T-Mobile. There are strict obligations attached to the licences, as Austria tries to grow its network infrastructure across the country to improve connectivity.

Brazil’s recent auction of regional licences for spectrum in the 700 MHz band is also included in this update – illustrating the regulator Anatel’s efforts to bolster connectivity in rural areas and along highways throughout the country.

This update also includes recent spectrum renewals in the 2.1 GHz band in Hungary and in Lithuania.

The PolicyTracker Spectrum Database provides information on spectrum allocation, assignment, and licence pricing in over 100 countries. It is available as an Excel document. Information from the database is also accessible on our interactive web-based database and our Data Explorer function.