5G: Nigeria picks Austrian firm for round two of spectrum auctions

Nigeria has picked Austrian firm, Specure, to provide the electronic platform for the upcoming 5G spectrum auctions holding December 19 in Abuja, Technology Times can confirm. Specure is making a comeback after working with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in the first round of the 5G spectrum auctions held in December 2022, in which MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Mafab Communications Limited emerged as the winners. People conversant with developments surrounding the 5G auctions says that Spectrum will work with the Nigerian telecoms regulator, and its software will power the electronic auction platform expected to provide a transparent technology for deciding winners of the two licences offered for sale by NCC at a reserve price of $273.6 million. [caption id="attachment_151472" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] File photo shows a telecoms mast. Nigeria says it is holding the next round of 5G spectrum auctions next month to enable winners deploy the fifth-generation service in the country. Photo credit: Pixabay.[/caption] The telecoms regulator, which is offering the remaining lots of 2 x 100MHz in the 3.5GHz spectrum band to support 5G deployment in Nigeria, says the bids will be open to incumbent operators and new entrants. The Nigeria 5G spectrum auctions The telecoms regulator, which is offering the remaining lots of 2 x 100MHz in the 3.5GHz spectrum band to support 5G deployment in Nigeria, says the bids will be open to incumbent operators and new entrants. NCC is offering each licence at a reserve price of $273,600,000.00 for each 3.5GHz spectrum band slot that will enable winners to deploy 5G service in Nigeria, according to the auction rules. Meanwhile, Specure specialises in spectrum auctions delivery and QoS measurement and monitoring of the internet access service, according to the website of the privately-owned firm established in October 2014 in Vienna and operating under Austrian law. “Since the company’s inception,” Specure says, “we have collaborated with numerous telecom market regulators on innovative solutions that help with their regulatory jobs. We also rely on world-wide partner network to deliver solutions efficiently and with best possible local support.” Specure’s EAS auction platform which was deployed in the first round of the Nigerian 5G spectrum auctions is a software that “has been deployed in numerous spectrum auctions across Europe and in Africa” and “has been the cornerstone of many successful auction projects,” according to the Austrian firm. “We at Specure are happy that we could help as an auction system supplier and contribute to the successful process,” the firm says following the successful outcome of the first round of the 5G spectrum auctions held in December 2022. Nigeria’s proceeds from last year’s 5G auctions amounted to $547.2 million in which the two winners MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications, “gained a 100 MHz block each for the 5G networks rollout,” Specure says. “The reserve price of $199.37 million grew to $273 million after the main stage of the auction during the very intense bidding. Airtel dropped off from the race having posted a lower exit bid than MTN. As a result, two available lots of 100 MHz thus got to know their prospective holders – MTN and Mafab. “Those two companies subsequently competed for a concrete block during the assignment stage. MTN valued acquiring of their preferred block at $15.9 million, while Mafab offered $11.12 million. Therefore, MTN had the right to choose. They selected the block 3500–3600 MHz, so the other one, 3700–3800 MHz went to Mafab,” according to the Austrian firm's post-mortem of the Nigerian 5G auctions. NCC, Specure says, chose an ascending clock auction format to distribute the spectrum. The auction ended after 11 bidding rounds, followed by an assignment stage and the auction results were announced on the same day.

Nigeria has picked Austrian firm, Specure, to provide the electronic platform for the upcoming 5G spectrum auctions holding December 19 in Abuja, Technology Times can confirm.

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