German regulator opens the process for allocation of 450 MHz beyond 2020

The Federal Network Agency has published its decision to provide the 450 MHz frequency for applications of the critical infrastructures in the future and on November 16, 2020 opened the award procedure. The authority had already spoken in favor of use of 450 MHz band by utilities among other critical infrastructures beginning of November, the approval of its advisory board has now followed. The current frequency usage rights in the 450 MHz band will expire on December 31, 2020.

No alternative broadband spectrum and no exclusive bands are currently available for critical infrastructure operators. The provision of the 450 MHz spectrum for critical infrastructures will help to pave the way for the digitalization of the energy transition. The spectrum is particularly suitable for building a highly available and blackout-resilient nationwide wireless network for sectors such as electricity, gas, water and district heating.

The needs of public safety authorities and organizations could be taken into account as far as remaining network capacity allows for it and it is not used by the applications of the critical infrastructures. The decision of the Federal Network Agency ends a long-running dispute between the energy industry and the public safety organizations (BOS).

The award rules foresee that one assignment holder should build and operate the 450 MHz network for critical infrastructure operators in line with their demand. Interested companies can now submit their applications until December 18, 2020. The successful applicant has to pay a fee of around 113 million euros for the duration of the assignment (20 years). The regulator plans to allocate the whole available spectrum (2 x 4,74 MHz) in the 450 MHz band to the selected party to enable deployment of the newest technologies in the spectrum.