Telecom operator Teliasonera has bought 4G LTE licenses in Finland for $567 million to boost coverage.
The new frequencies — 2 x 10 MHz frequencies in the 800 MHz band — will enable a significant increase in 4G coverage and constitute an important step in creating Finland’s most extensive mobile broadband network.
The license auction was held by Finland’s Ministry of Transport and Communications, Teliasonera said on Wednesday.
The licenses granted for the 800 MHz band are valid for 20 years starting from 2014, and the price for the new frequency blocks is EUR 41.2 million including the administrative fees for the auction. The payment to Ficora will be made in five parts during the next five years.
Sonera, a Teliasonera subsidiary, has already built 4G LTE network on the 1,800 and 2,600 MHz frequencies, with a population coverage of 40 percent. The new license includes requirements to build a 4G coverage of 95 percent in 3 years and 99 percent in 5 years, where the 4G coverage built in other frequencies is also included.
