Paris, 8th August 2005
The procedure for the issue of new wireless local loop network deployment authorisations has been launched.
Based on a proposal by ARCEP (formerly called ART), a notice has just been published in the Journal Officiel by the Minister of Industry of the means and conditions for authorisations for the use of wireless local loop frequencies available in the 3.4-3.6 GHz band in Metropolitan France.
ARCEP now invites interested parties to submit their letters of intent before 14th October 2005, for the procedure, as stipulated in the application notice described below.
- The procedure phases
* submission of a letter of intent before 14th October
In the preparatory phase for the procedure, interested parties must submit a letter of intent to ARCEP before 14th October.
Candidates have time to examine possibilities for sharing frequencies with other candidates.
* application confirmation before 6th January 2006
Following the preparatory phase, candidates must confirm their letters of intent by submitting to ARCEP, on 6th January 2006 (from 9.00 am - 5.00 pm), their authorisation applications as per the conditions of the application procedure.
ARCEP will examine the applications in order to determine whether there are sufficient frequencies in each region.
* if frequencies are sufficient in a given region: authorisations will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis
In regions where frequencies are sufficient, ARCEP will issue authorisations on a first-come, first-served basis.
In this case, authorisations can be issued for regional or infra-regional coverage areas, i.e. cover an entire département or more than one city.
* if frequencies are insufficient in a given region: application dossiers must be submitted on 1st February 2006
In regions where frequencies are insufficient, ARCEP will hold a selection procedure (the so-called "beauty contest") in order to allocate two regional authorisations.
Application dossiers must be submitted to ARCEP on 1st February 2006 by 12.00 noon at the latest.
Candidates will be examined based on three criteria:
- the project's ability to encourage competition on the high speed market
- the sum the candidate is willing to pay upon receipt of the authorisation (over and above the annual fee due for the availability and use of wireless local loop frequencies)
Frequencies will be allocated independently in each region in Metropolitan France. This means that the 22 procedures will be conducted separately, and any player may request, and possibly receive, authorisation in more than one Metropolitan region.
- The procedure in Guyana, Mayotte and Saint Pierre et Miquelon
A similar procedure is also being launched in the overseas regions where frequencies are also available in the 3.4-3.6 GHz band (i.e. Guyana, Mayotte and Saint-Pierre et Miquelon) in accordance with the application notice which was also published in the Journal Officiel.
- Additional information
ARCEP will provide additional information on the technical conditions of use for the frequencies on its web site before 15 September 2005, as announced in paragraph V of part B of the application notice.
Linked documents
Minister's notice relating to the methods and the licensing requirements of use of the frequencies of wireless local loop available in the band 3,4-3,6 GHz in Metropolitan France (pdf - 31KB) 
Minister's notice relating to the methods and the licensing requirements of use of the frequencies of wireless local loop available in the band 3,4-3,6 GHz in Guyana, to Mayotte and Saint-Pierre et Miquelon (pdf - 31KB)