VI may benefit from LTE spectrum until next year
He was speaking to this news site following a TRC video award presentation held yesterday July 1, 2015 at Maria’s by the Sea.
The TRC recently disclosed that it is expected to grant LTE licences in October 2015 which would facilitate improved internet services in the Virgin Islands.
“Following the issuing of licences in October, you have to take into consideration that you have to give the operators to a chance to build their LTE network with respect to the spectrum that they acquire from the process,” Malone said.
“You are looking at a minimum of six months. We haven’t decided yet what the timeframe will be. That will be done in consultation with the operators because each of them will have different views as to how long it would take or if they need to build extra towers et cetera.”
Malone further said that the three companies that are competing for the award of the LTE spectrum are CCT Global Communications, Digicel BVI and LIME. “They are now reviewing that draft consultation document and they would speak to us following which we will move on to the next phase; evaluating and coming up with the criteria [for the award of the spectrum],” he explained.
Public consultation launched
The TRC on Tuesday June 30, 2015 published a public consultation on the possible award of spectrum in the 450 MHz, 700 MHz, 1900 MHz, 1800MHz/2100 MHz/AWS-1 and 2500 MHz bands.
“Of particular importance are the 700 MHz, 1900 MHz and AWS-1 bands which are the main bands for 4G services in the Americas and Caribbean regions,” said a press release from the TRC.
It noted that the Spectrum Award 2015 project began on May 6, 2015 and that notice of the Consultation was first published on Saturday, June 13, 2015.
“The aim of the Spectrum Award is to provide the three mobile operators with frequencies they can use to deliver high speed mobile broadband services using LTE technology. The Commission believes this Spectrum Award 2015 will provide citizens, consumers, enterprises and visitors to the Virgin Islands with better quality broadband services in line with developments in North America, Europe and being implemented elsewhere in the Caribbean. The Commission is confident that the release and implementation of services will be of substantial benefit to the entire economy and particularly valuable to the financial services and tourism sectors,” the release said.
Process will be a competitive one
According to the release, the Commission expects there to be competition for this valuable spectrum. “In line with the Commission’s objectives to promote the economy, orderly and efficient use of spectrum, ensure fair competition, promote the public interest and implement and enforce the provisions of the Telecommunications Act; the Commission will allocate the relevant spectrum to operators who qualify to apply for the Spectrum Award through a competitive process,” it said.
It said that applications will be ranked by competitive evaluation against clear criteria, details of which Malone declined to disclose.
“The Commission believes this approach best meets its objective to promote the public interest by awarding spectrum to those operators that offer the most attractive services,” it said.
Responses to the Consultation on the Spectrum Award 2015 will be due on July 28, 2015 and the Commission expects to issue the formal Invitation to Apply and draft Frequency Authorisation in late August 2015, with Applications due by the end of September.
“Following and in accordance with the comparative evaluation, the Commission expects to grant relevant licences at the end of October 2015,” the release stated.
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