Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) of Germany has revealed that the country’s 5G spectrum auction value currently reached around 5.4 billion euros or $6.1 billion.
Deutsche Telekom leads in 13 of the blocks during the 5G spectrum auction in Germany.
Vodafone is ahead in 12 and Telefonica Deutschland in 9 and Drillisch (a virtual mobile player controlled by United Internet) leads in 7 blocks.
Germany’s 5G spectrum auction completed 218 rounds so far – just shy of the 224 rounds in a similar auction in 2010.
Germany raised 50 billion euros during the 3G spectrum auction in 2000. The 3G spectrum auction has resulted into poor financials for telecom operators.
The auction, being held in a former army barracks in the western city of Mainz, resumes at 1300 CET (1100 GMT) and will only end when no new bids are entered, Reuters reported today.
Telecom industry bosses have expressed concern that the four-way battle would inflate costs of the 5G spectrum and undermine their ability to invest the billions needed to build the 5G networks.
Germany’s three existing operators — Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone and Telefonica Deutschland — and new entrant 1&1 Drillisch are vying for 41 blocks of spectrum in the 2 Gigahertz and 3.6 GHz bands.
