Successful conclusion of auction of radio spectrum in 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 850 MHz, 2.5/2.6 GHz and 4.9 GHz bands
The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) announced today (October 27) that after a total of 32 rounds of bidding in three days, the auction of radio spectrum in the 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 850 MHz, 2.5/2.6 GHz and 4.9 GHz bands was successfully concluded. A total of 255 MHz of spectrum in 19 frequency blocks was auctioned off to four mobile network operators at total spectrum utilisation fees (SUFs) of $1.8765 billion.
The results of the auction are listed in the table below:
| Frequency block | Frequency range (MHz) |
Provisional successful bidder | SUF payable (HK$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | 703 – 708 paired with 758 – 763 | Hutchison Telephone Company Limited | 72,000,000 |
| B2 | 708 – 713 paired with 763 – 768 | Hutchison Telephone Company Limited | 66,000,000 |
| B3 | 713 – 718 paired with 768 – 773 | SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited | 72,000,000 |
| B4 | 718 – 723 paired with 773 – 778 | Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT)Limited | 69,000,000 |
| B5 | 723 – 728 paired with 778 – 783 | Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) Limited | 72,000,000 |
| B6 | 728 – 733 paired with 783 – 788 | China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited | 66,000,000 |
| B7 | 733 – 738 paired with 788 – 793 | China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited | 66,000,000 |
| C | 825 – 832.5 paired with 870 – 877.5 | SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited | 82,500,000 |
| D1 | 2500 – 2505 paired with 2620 – 2625 | China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited | 95,000,000 |
| D2 | 2505 – 2510 paired with 2625 – 2630 | China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited | 99,500,000 |
| D3 | 2510 – 2515 paired with 2630 – 2635 | China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited | 99,500,000 |
| D4 | 2540 – 2545 paired with 2660 – 2665 | Hutchison Telephone Company Limited | 114,000,000 |
| D5 | 2545 – 2550 paired with 2665 – 2670 | Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) Limited | 99,500,000 |
| D6 | 2550 – 2555 paired with 2670 – 2675 | Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) Limited | 95,000,000 |
| D7 | 2555 – 2560 paired with 2675 – 2680 | Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) Limited | 90,500,000 |
| D8 | 2560 – 2565 paired with 2680 – 2685 | Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) Limited | 86,500,000 |
| D9 | 2565 – 2570 paired with 2685 – 2690 | Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) Limited | 86,500,000 |
| E1 | 4800 – 4840 | China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited | 222,500,000 |
| E2 | 4920 – 4960 | SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited | 222,500,000 |
"The assignment of the frequency blocks will be valid for a period of 15 years. Each provisional successful bidder is required to pay the SUF or submit a letter of credit to guarantee payment of the SUF as specified in the table above, where applicable, by November 24, 2021. The provisional successful bidders of frequency blocks C and E1 to E2 are also required to submit performance bonds to guarantee compliance with the respective network and service rollout requirements by the same day, while the provisional successful bidders of frequency blocks B1 to B7 and D1 to D9 are required to submit performance bonds before the actual frequency assignments take effect," the spokesman for OFCA said.