Taiwan’s National Communications Commission (NCC) is said to have unveiled plans to release three blocks of spectrum in the 2600MHz band, the Digitimes reports. Under the state’s proposals a total of 190MHz, suitable for both frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD) LTE services, will be made available. It is understood that two 70MHz blocks – 2500MHz-2570MHz and 2620MHz-2690MHz – will be designated for FDD-LTE, while a 50MHz block – 2570MHz-2620MHz – will be assigned for TDD-LTE.
At present, however, a 90MHz block of spectrum that the authorities plan to offer is in use by four WiMAX operators, although their concessions are due to expire between the end of this year and early 2015. As such, industry sources have claimed that the 2600MHz frequencies will not be released until these licences have expired. At that point, most of the nation’s 4G licensees, alongside the existing WiMAX operators, are expected to vie for the new concessions.