The auction for the allocation of 5G frequencies will start on September 29 (illustration) -

Wang Jianfeng / Costfoto / Sipa US

It is an operation which should bring several billion euros to the State.

France, "late" in the deployment of 5G to the chagrin of the government, launches the allocation of the first frequencies on Tuesday.

But this will be done in a climate of mistrust on the part of public opinion and the multiple demands for a "moratorium" from several elected officials.

A first marketing at the end of the year

Initially scheduled for April, but postponed due to the health crisis, these auctions should allow operators (Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, Free) to acquire 11 “blocks” of frequencies that are currently unused.

The operation will pave the way for the first 5G commercializations in some cities at the end of the year.

The future network will be launched using first the band from 3.4 to 3.8 gigahertz.

The four operators have each obtained a block of 50 megahertz (MHz) in this frequency band, at a fixed price of 350 million euros.

With the additional 110 MHz involved, the state hopes to collect at least 2.17 billion euros.

On the other hand, an operator will not be able to acquire more than 100 MHz "to give everyone a chance", explains Arcep, the French telecoms regulator which oversees auctions.

Combative operators

"The principle of these auctions is that they must be completely secret (...) so my objectives, my financial constraints, you can imagine that I will not make them public", declared Monday Stéphane Richard, CEO of Orange.

Its competitors, like Free, promise to be "combative" to seek "all the frequencies" they "need".

The main auction, which should last around ten days, will be followed by a “positioning auction” allowing operators to choose whether they prefer to be located in the center of the strip or at its ends, which are more likely to interfere with the web. other services.

However, 5G has aroused hostility from part of public opinion, politicians and NGOs, who question its interest, citing risks to health and the environment.

But the government wanted to maintain its schedule without waiting for a report from the National Health Security Agency (ANSES) scheduled for March 2021, stressing that most advanced countries have already allocated these frequencies.

A new balance of power

Can this heated political debate, marked by the threat of several local authorities to hamper the future deployment of 5G, have an impact on auctions?

"This will change the balance of power a little," said Guillaume Vaquero, telecoms expert for the Wavestone firm.

“We were in a pattern where Arcep required operators to make coverage commitments.

There, the operators can say: We are ready to deploy, but what are the guarantees so that we can do it under good conditions?

», He adds.

The answer should come when the envelopes containing the offers are opened.

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