Finland’s regulator has become the latest to announce its plans to sell 5G ready spectrum, amid a flurry of deployments and trials across the country.
FICORA has invited applications for licences in the 3.5GHz band, which will be allocated following an auction. It said applications will be limited to one of the three licences on sale, which will be sold for a minimum of €21 million.
Companies must file their application by 17 August, with the auction scheduled to take place the following month.
In a statement, the regulator said: “The aim of the auction is to facilitate the development of new 5G technology into a high-performance wireless communications platform. 5G boosts digitalisation and meets the future wireless communications needs of user groups in a variety of sectors.”
[Read more: Elisa hits 1GBps over 5G on moving target in Helsinki]
Both Switzerland and Belgium have recently announced their own spectrum auctions but Finland has been racing ahead as it looks to secure 5G bragging rights.
Last month, Elisa said it had launched the world’s first commercial network in Tampere, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia. However, with no compatible devices built, it is unable to offer the use cases many expect from 5G.
The operator is hoping to complete its 5G network infrastructure rollout during this summer.
Rival Telia has identified 5G as a means of powering critical communications and Nordic PMs recently announced a collaboration in implementing 5G.
Earlier this month, Ericsson held a 5G trial in the Åland Islands in the south west of Finland.