Norway’s National Communications Authority (Nkom) has opened a tender for spectrum in the 800MHz and 900MHz bands covering Svalbard, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, which is situated roughly midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The process has been initiated after the watchdog received an application for spectrum from an as-yet unidentified operator.
In the 800MHz band, the regulator is offering 2×10MHz spectrum blocks (832MHz-842MHz/791MHz-801MHz), while available 900MHz spectrum includes frequency resources in the 880MHz-885MHz/925MHz-930MHz; 889.6MHz-890.1MHz/934.6MHz-935.1MHz; and 899.9MHz-904.9MHz/944.9MHz-949.9MHz bands. Further, Nkom notes that there will be additional 900MHz spectrum available when existing licenses granted to Telenor and Telia Norge expire on 31 December 2017. (Note: Russian operator MegaFon also holds 900MHz spectrum in Svalbard, which will expire in December 2019.)
Interested parties are welcome to submit an application for the vacant spectrum by 22 November 2017.