The President’s Chamber of the Federal Network Agency has published the consultation draft for the tendering of frequencies in the 450 MHz band. The aim is to reassign the frequencies after the current allocation expires on December 31, 2020.
“The frequencies in the 450 MHz range are particularly suitable for building a nationwide, highly available and at the same time blackout-out resistant radio network infrastructure to balance and control utility networks,” says Jochen Homann, President of the Federal Network Agency.
The draft stipulates that the frequencies will be used primarily to supply critical infrastructures with the needed connectivity. The assignee is to provide radio network infrastructure for operators of critical infrastructures.
The frequencies are to be awarded in a tendering process. This way, security concerns and special requirements can be better considered as selection criteria and the most suitable provider can be selected for the rollout and operations of the network.
Operators of critical infrastructures have numerously expressed a need for dedicated mobile network for controlling their systems. So far, no exclusive frequency ranges have been available for this.
In September 2019, the Advisory Board of the Federal Network Agency recommended the provision of secure communication solution based on 450 MHz radio technology to be made available to the energy industry.
In January, the Federal Network Agency put the first key points on the allocation of frequencies for comment and at the same time carried out a needs’ assessment procedure.
On the basis of the comments received on the key points and the submissions, the draft of an award decision has been made, which is now available for public comment. Comments on the consultation draft can be submitted in writing up to August 28, 2020. The next and final step in the process will be the tender procedure itself. The Federal Network Agency underlined that their goal is to decide about the license allocation in the 450MHz spectrum by the end of the year.
The Federal Network Agency points out that the procedure is subject to a deviating decision by the Federal Government and granting the license for other purposes.