WORLDWIDE MARKET RESEARCH REPORT - CISE

EC/IST FP6 Project No 026920
Work Package: 6
Type of document: Report
Date: 20.12.2007
File name: OP_WP6_D37_V1.0.doc Version: 1.0
Title: Worldwide Market Research Report 132 / 356
FWA” and “Guidelines for introducing FWA in the 3400-3600 MHz frequency band in the
Republic of Macedonia”.
In Poland, Romania and Slovenia, in December 2006 UKE consulted on the future use of
spectrum for BWA applications based on point-to-multipoint systems in three spectrum
bands: 3.6 - 3.8 GHz, 2200 - 2400 MHz and 2500 - 2690 MHz. In particular, the UKE
addressed the following issues:
• whether these bands should be allocated to BWA applications on a technology-
neutral basis or should be reserved for any specific standards and technology
solutions, such as TDD or FDD.
• compatibility with other uses.
• assignment methods (local, regional or national networks).
On January 10, 2007 the UKE published a summary of the received responses. Following
two public tender procedures held in 2004 and 2005, six national licences were granted to
four operators: the mobile operator PTC and three fixed operators Netia, NASK and
Clearwire (two licences each of 28 MHz, and 4 licences each of 14 MHz). Still available in
this band are 12 duplex channels of 3.5 MHz each. In 2005 URTiP (the predecessor of UKE)
organised tender procedures for 317 local licences in this spectrum, each covering areas of
the administrative units called powiats. A review conducted by UKE during 2006 showed that
most of the offers submitted during this tender were incorrectly assessed. Consequently,
UKE decided to annul all 317 procedures and to resume the discussion on the future use of
this spectrum. According to the national frequency allocation table, this band is foreseen for
civil applications allowing both fixed and mobile services. The UKE is now consulting on
possible uses of these frequencies.
At the EU level the use of this band (so called “UMTS expansion band”) is regulated by ECC
Decision 05 of March 18, 2005 containing a channelling plan for harmonised use by
terrestrial IMT-2000/UMTS services and to facilitate cross-border co-ordination and efficient
use of spectrum across Europe.
In Romania, seven operators hold ten national fixed wireless access licenses, while five
operators hold 175 local licenses in the 3.5 GHz band. IGCTI stated that it expects the first
WiMAX services will be available in Romania already in 2007. On November 28, 2006 the