Following the publication of determinations regarding the assignment of frequencies in the 2600MHz band by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in May 2021, operators have now confirmed their acceptance of these spectrum allocations, confirming the prices they will pay in the process.
In a filing with the Bursa Malaysia, Celcom parent company Axiata Group revealed it had accepted the MCMC’s offer for a spectrum assignment (2530MHz-2540MHz/2650MHz-2660MHz), noting the Malaysian cellco had made an upfront payment of MYR11.76 million (USD13.3 million) for these frequencies. Further, Axiata also confirmed that Celcom’s spectrum assignment will become valid from 1 July 2022 and be valid for five years, while noting an annual fee of MYR20.76 million will also be payable for the frequencies – this is payable by 15 December each year. Similar filings were made by both Digi Telecommunications (2560MHz-2570MHz/2680MHz-2690MHz) and Maxis (2510MHz-2520MHz/2630MHz-2640MHz), which both confirmed they will pay the same one-off and annual fees for their respective 2×10MHz allocations in the 2600MHz band.
Meanwhile, Telekom Malaysia also issued a statement confirming that its subsidiary Webe Digital had accepted the MCMC’s assignment of an unpaired 20MHz block in the 2600MHz band (2575MHz-2595MHz). Telekom Malaysia noted that it has paid an upfront fee of MYR7.06 million for the frequencies, with the annual fee component to be paid throughout the assignment period being MYR5.98 million.