Paris (AFP)

The telecoms regulatory authority (Arcep) announced Thursday that the four main operators candidates for the allocation of frequencies for future 5G mobile networks are qualified to participate in the auctions, postponed sine die due to the health crisis.

Bouygues Telecom, Free, Orange and SFR "are qualified", "have subscribed to the commitments provided for in the specifications and will each be able to obtain, at the end of this procedure and for an amount of 350 million euros, a block of 50 Megahertz (MHz) ", Arcep said in a statement.

The four operators were the only candidates for the allocation of the frequency known as 3.5 GigaHertz (GHz) which should allow them to start the deployment of 5G by the end of the year in certain cities.

In exchange for this first block of frequencies, they undertook to respond to "reasonable requests" from companies, communities or administrations which would like adapted offers or to be entrusted with frequencies, to improve the coverage of mobile networks within buildings for professional use, to provide fixed internet access offers via 5G and to allow the development of virtual network operators (MVNO).

But due to the health crisis, the auctions initially scheduled for April 21 are postponed.

They must make it possible to allocate the 11 blocks of 10 MHz still available in the band 3.4 - 3.8 GigaHertz (GHz), for a minimum amount of 70 million euros per tranche.

The State hopes to draw from the allocation operation at least 2.17 billion euros, but the amount could ultimately be much higher, depending on the intensity of the auction phase.

"The current circumstances of the health crisis have not made it possible to conduct the necessary preparations for the material organization of this auction. The result is a time lag, the duration of which will depend on that of the health crisis," said the regulator.

The frequency allocation procedure is also the subject of numerous appeals from a union which criticizes it for not being subject to employment obligations, but above all to associations worried about a impact of 5G on health and the environment.

Seized by these associations, the Council of State had refused to suspend the procedure urgently but must render a decision on the merits before the summer.

"Arcep is continuing its work on societal and environmental issues related to digital technology and the evolution of networks," she explains in her press release.

© 2020 AFP