Finland launches new 5G spectrum auction

HELSINKI: Finland launched its second auction of frequencies for high-speed 5G mobile networks on Monday, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency said.

“Over the past 18 months, the 5G network has been made available in 30 cities and municipalities in Finland. This spring, well-functioning connections have proved even more valuable than anticipated, the agency said in a statement, referring to the COVID-19 epidemic.

It added that Monday’s auction would include three 800 MHz bands in the 25.1-27.5 GHz range for use in mainland Finland, and the starting price for each frequency would be 7 million euros.

Finland’s government granted 5G licences in the 3.5 GHz band in 2018 and construction of the new 5G networks started at the beginning of 2019, making the country, home to network equipment maker Nokia, among the first in the world to introduce the technology.

The winning bids will be announced by the Ministry of Transport and Communications after the auction close and construction of the new networks can start from July 1 2020, the agency said.

What is 5G?

The successor to the current 4G network technology introduced commercially in 2009 promises nearly instantaneous transfers of huge amounts of data that will likely bring major changes to an array of consumer and health products.

The first advantages of 5G will be enjoyed by telecoms operators, who will be able to offer fixed high-speed internet in countries or regions where deploying fibre is expensive.

At a later stage, 5G will be able to underpin services such as augmented reality, which would allow people for example to point a smartphone camera at a football game and see superimposed player statistics.

The next generation phones will be able to switch seamlessly between 4G and 5Gnetworks for more stable service.