Taiwan's 5G spectrum auction came to an end on 21 February 2020. The five incumbents secured the 5G spectrum following a competitive auction with total bids reaching NT$142.191 billion (approximately $4.7 billion) which will be paid within 30 days following the National Communications Commission's (NCC's) notice.
Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) obtained 90MHz of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band for NT$47.755 billion and secured 600MHz in the 28GHz band for NT$618 million.
Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET) spent NT$42.63 billion to secure 80MHz in the 3.5GHz band and NT$412 million for 400MHz in the 28GHz band.
Taiwan Mobile got 60MHz of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band for NT$30.4 billion and also secured 200MHz in the 28GHz band for NT$206 million.
Taiwan Star obtained 40MHz in the 3.5GHz band for NT$19.708 billion, and Asia Pacific Telecom secured 40MHz at 28GHz for NT$412 million.
Operators awarded in 5G Spectrum auction 2020
|
Band |
Bandwidth |
Operator |
|
1800MHz |
C7 (previously C6-2 and C6-3, which were made available for application in 2017): uplink 1,775MHz~1785MHz; downlink 1,870MHz~1880MHz (with 10MHz each for uplink and downlink) |
NA |
|
3500MHz |
F1: 3,300MHz~3,310MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Star |
|
F2: 3,310MHz~3,320MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Star | |
|
F3: 3,320MHz~3,330MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Star | |
|
F4: 3,330MHz~3,340MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Star | |
|
F5: 3,340MHz~3,350MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
FET |
|
|
F6: 3,350MHz~3,360MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
FET | |
|
F7: 3,360MHz~3,370MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
FET | |
|
F8: 3,370MHz~3,380MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
FET | |
|
F9: 3,800MHz~3,390MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
FET | |
|
F10: 3,390MHz~3,400MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
FET | |
|
F11: 3,400MHz~3,410MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
FET | |
|
F12: 3,410MHz~3,420MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
FET | |
|
F13: 3,420MHz~3,430MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
CHT |
|
|
F14: 3,430MHz~3,440MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
F15: 3,440MHz~3,450MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
F16: 3,450MHz~3,460MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
F17: 3,460MHz~3,470MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
F18: 3,470MHz~3,480MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
F19: 3,480MHz~3,490MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
F20: 3,490MHz~3,500MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
F21: 3,500MHz~3,510MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
F22: 3,510MHz~3,520MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Mobile |
|
|
F23: 3,520MHz~3,530MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Mobile | |
|
F24: 3,530MHz~3,540MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Mobile | |
|
F25: 3,540MHz~3,550MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Mobile | |
|
F26: 3,550MHz~3,560MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Mobile | |
|
F27: 3,560MHz~3,570MHz (10MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Mobile | |
|
28000MHz |
G1: 27,000MHz~27,100MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
N/A |
|
G2: 27,100MHz~27,200MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
N/A | |
|
G3: 27,200MHz~27,300MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
N/A | |
|
G4: 27,300MHz~27,400MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
N/A | |
|
G5: 27,400MHz~27,500MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
N/A | |
|
G6: 27,500MHz~27,600MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
N/A | |
|
G7: 27,600MHz~27,700MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
N/A | |
|
G8: 27,700MHz~27,800MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
N/A | |
|
G9: 27,800MHz~27,900MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
N/A | |
|
G9: 27,000MHz~27,100MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
N/A | |
|
G10: 27,900MHz~28,000MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
CHT |
|
|
G11: 28,000MHz~28,100MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
G12: 28,100MHz~28,200MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
G13: 28,200MHz~28,300MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
G14: 28,300MHz~28,400MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
G15: 28,400MHz~28,500MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
CHT | |
|
G16: 28,500MHz~28,600MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
FET |
|
|
G17: 28,600MHz~28,700MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
FET | |
|
G18: 28,700MHz~28,800MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
FET | |
|
G19: 28,800MHz~28,900MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
FET | |
|
G20: 28,900MHz~29,000MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
APT |
|
|
G21: 29,000MHz~29,100MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
APT | |
|
G22: 29,100MHz~29,200MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
APT | |
|
G23: 29200MHz~29300MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
APT | |
|
G24: 29,300MHz~29,400MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Mobile |
|
|
G25: 29,400MHz~29,500MHz (100MHz for a single block) |
Taiwan Mobile |
The winner of each frequency slot in the 3.5GHz band will be required to install a minimum of 1,000 5G base stations within five years covering not less than 50% of the national population. In other words, a wide penetration across all six metropolitan areas on Taiwan island will be expected. The winner of each frequency slot in the 28GHz band will be required to install a minimum of 375 5G base stations and no more than 3,000. (For more details of the 5G rules, please see "NCC publishes 5G spectrum auction rules".)
The 5G spectrum auction finally ends and the real competition begins. The regulation governing mobile broadband services requires operators to file for an amendment to their deployment plan and information security plan subsequent to the bid price being paid. CHT, among the incumbents of mobile broadband services, has made the first move by fully paying the bid and submission of its updated deployment plan aiming for the 5G service launch prior to opening of the Tokyo Olympics 2020. On the other hand, APT and Taiwan Mobile have agreed to 5G network sharing in the 3.5GHz band in the third quarter of 2020 by a spectrum lease from Taiwan Mobile to APT pending the NCC's approval.
