CONTRIBUTOR Sergio Goncalves Reuters
Published 15th October
By Sergio Goncalves
LISBON, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Vodafone may shun Portugal’s planned auction of 5G frequency licences unless the regulator changes its proposed rules, which Vodafone Cluster Europe CEO labelled on Thursday as illegal and discriminatory against established players.
The regulator ANACOM, which hopes to relaunch the auction this month after delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, has reserved a preferential spectrum in the 900 MHz and 1,800 Mhz bands for new entrants, with a 25% discount on the final auction price.
Serpil Timuray told Reuters that Vodafone, which invested 1.6 billion euros ($1.9 billion) in Portugal in the last six years, would also have to reconsider plans to establish a pan-European research and development centre in Portugal if the regulator followed through with the auction rules.
“We believe this proposal spectrum design is illegal on both Portuguese and EU law,” Timuray said.
Read more at: https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/vodafone-may-shun-portugal-5g-auction-unless-illegal-rules-are-changed-2020-10-15