Launch of 5G: A1 auctioned to 64.3 million EUR spectrum in the 3.5 GHz Band

* Long-term investment in the network

* 5G as economic and location factor of the future

* Award-winning network, combined with new technology
as the Basis of the digitization of Austria

A1 has participated in the past few weeks at the spectrum auction for the 3.5 GHz Band (39 auction blocks of 10 Mhz) and depending on the Region of 100-140 MHz to a total of 64.3 million EUR at the auction.

Thomas Arnoldner, CEO of A1 Telekom Austria Group, commented: „We are pleased and see this outcome as a long-term investment in our mobile network. The digital Transformation will be driven by 5G – people, machines, tools, and products can then communicate in real time with each other, new Ecosystems will arise. The development of 5G networks will therefore play a crucial role for Austria as a business location and an important competitive factor.“

Marcus Grausam, CEO of A1 Austria to the result: „the outcome of this spectrum auction and the launch of 5G in Austria. The auctioned frequency bands we use for the new 5G network and capacity expansions of existing mobile phone network. Thus, we can complement our award-winning network with the new technology and our customers also in the future the best quality and a lot of bandwidth. Now, we are developing together with partners and experts services which use the technology of 5G and the economy and population will bring a significant added value. So we digitize Austria.“

3.5 GHz than 5G a pioneer band

With 5G, it is expected that the capacity of mobile networks can be increased by a factor of 25.

Auction format

The auction took place in the Form of a simple clock auction. Up for auction frequencies in a range of 390 MHz in the range of 3410 MHz – 3800 MHz reached a total of. The available frequencies on a regional Basis (12 regions, of which 6 urban and 6 rural), divided into blocks of 10 MHz put up for auction.

Distribution of the spectrum

A1 auctioned frequencies in all the regions, wherein the number of ranges, depending on the Region of 100 – 140 MHz.

As a result of the auction of the 3.5 GHz spectrum will be divided as follows in Austria:

* A1 Telekom Austria: 100-140 (~29%)
* Hutchison 3 Austria: 100 (~26%)
* T-Mobile Astria: 110 (~28%)

In addition, 4 regional providers have acquired a number of frequencies in each of the selected regions.

Duration and funding

The license in the Band 42 (3.4-3.6 GHz) runs from 1. January 2020, while the license is in volume 43 (the 3.6-3.8 GHz) from the frequency allocation decision. The use rights to run up to 31.12.2039.

The purchase price for the spectrum will be funded from current cash flow.

A1
Mag. Livia Dandrea-Böhm
A1 press officer
+43 664 6631452
livia.dandrea-boehm@a1.at