Market Mechanisms for Spectrum Allocation

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Market Mechanisms for Spectrum Allocation. Presented to Spectrum Allocation , a Network Insight seminar Professor Reg Coutts Director,. Summary. Review of market mechanisms Some recent licence allocations of interest Difficulties in the process Conclusion. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Centre for TelecommunicationsInformation Networking

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Centre for Telecommunications Information Networking (CTIN)University of Adelaidewww.ctin.adelaide.edu.au

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Market Mechanisms for Spectrum Allocation

Presented to Spectrum Allocation, a Network Insight seminar

Professor Reg Coutts

Director,

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Summary

• Review of market mechanisms• Some recent licence allocations of interest• Difficulties in the process• Conclusion

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Commercial spectrum allocation

• By application– First come first served (if sufficiently well dressed)

– Appropriate, provided that supply exceeds demand

• By beauty contest– Transparency of process a problem

• By market mechanisms– Auction or tender

– Transparent?

– Efficient?

APPLICATION

BEAUTY CONTESTAUCTION

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Why auction?

• “Commercial users have best understanding of commercial value”

• Efficient– Minimal bureaucracy

– Fast allocation

• Fair– Transparency

– Tends to reduce distortion

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Other Objectives...

• Bidders and “market value”– Enhancing global reach

– Protecting related investments

– Blocking additional competition

• Governments and “efficient allocation”– Promoting competition (e.g. new entrants)

– Social benefit

– Raising revenue

– Recognising industry objectives

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Spectrum prices in PCS Phase I (1998)

• 800MHz– Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane: $0.30/MHz/pop– Adelaide/Perth/Canberra: $0.08/MHz/pop– Regional and Remote: $0.04/MHz/pop

• 1800MHz– Sydney/Melbourne: $0.12/MHz/pop– Brisbane: $0.06/MHz/pop– Adelaide/Perth/Regional: $0.03/MHz/pop

Prices in $US

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PCS Auction Phase II

• 24 January to 15 March 2000

• 30MHz in 2.5MHz lots in 5 cities

• 138 rounds– Siemens did not bid

– Primus withdrew at round 83

– Optus withdrew at round 105

– Telstra spent $78.6 million

– Vodafone spent $55.3 million

– One.Tel spent $523.1 million

– Hutchison spent $670.9 million

• Total revenue $1,327,735,500 = $US 756 million– 4 times government estimate!

Optus resale, no infrastructure. No public

plans. Data network?

Optus resale, rolling out GSM1800. Now active

No mobile. Competes with One.Tel in long distance.

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Prices in Phase II

• Sydney– $US1.78/MHz/pop (1420% increase)

• Melbourne– $US1.60/MHz/pop (1420% increase)

• Brisbane– $US0.25/MHz/pop (310% increase)

• Perth and Adelaide– $US0.11/MHz/pop (270% increase)

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Lessons from Australian PCS Auctions

• “Values” very different at different time– Depends very much on the immediate market

• Commitment can be costly!– One.Tel spectrum essential to support network

under construction

• Hutchison very aggressive– First real international indication of

Hutchison’s intent

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3G Licences

• Auctioning– Licences

• Specific or highest value• Highest amount or % of revenue

– Blocks or lots

• Beauty Contests– Technical requirements– Social requirements– Financial requirements– Licence fees

A B C D E

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European 3G auctions

• UK– Auction structure to force new entrant

– Extraordinary prices!

• Holland– Allegations of unfair play

• Germany– Problems of transparency

• Italy– Auction structured to raise revenue

– Ignored the 2G market structure in Italy!

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3G beauty contests

• Sweden– Incumbent failed to win licence

• Litigation in process...

• Korea– Technology-specific requirements

• France and Belgium– Very high licence fees based on German

prices

– Licences left unallocated!

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Hong Kong 3G Beauty Contest + Auction

• Beauty Contest pre-condition

• Royalty payment scheme

• Open Network policy

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The Globalisation Push

Deutsche Telekom

Sonera

France Telecom

Vodafone

British Telecom

Centertel

Dutchtone

Wind

Xfera Mobilcom

Telefonica

IPSE

KPN Libertel

3G Blue Andala Omnite

l

T.mobil

Mannesmann

MobilfunkPTC

Polkomtel

Team 3Gdspeed

Swisscom AG

E-plus

Connect Austria

Tele.ringOne-2-

One

Airtel

Viag Interkom

Telfort

Japan Telecom

MAX.mobil

Vivendi

Tele Danmark

Broadband

MobileEnitel

Diax

BEN

Enel

HutchisonNTT DoCoMo

TIW

AmenaMobilkom

Austria

TIM

Austria Telekom

Telecel

3G Company Relationships

Europolitan

Hi3G Access

Group 3G

OniWay

Telenor

Orange

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Bureaucratic process

• Policy– Often unclear

• Consultation process– Infrequent and not transparent

– Lobbying by self-interested parties, not LTIE!

• Issues– Packaging/bundling of spectrum and licences

(including caps etc) distorts market

– Difficult to find an independent view!

LICEN

CE

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Auction process

• “Right” model for each situation• Must run its course

– Initial stages: Posturing

– Intermediate: Declaration of intent

– End game

• Little evidence yet of resale market– Certainly not “open” resale!

• Spectrum comes with technology attached– Distorts auction process

– A means by which governments extract monopoly rent

AUCTION

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Future alternative?

• Online exchange for radio frequency spectrum rights– Macquarie Bank: Spectrum Desk

• Creation of secondary radio spectrum market– Both buyer and seller auctions take place between

anonymous participants on website

– Charge brokerage based on value of transaction

• Benefits– Reduced barriers

– Increased liquidity

– Concentrated demand

– Greater market integrity

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Conclusion

• Admin versus Market?– Both have their “war” stories

• Australian process appears functional– Right mix of “market” and “admin” process

– Technology neutrality - a managed “illusion”

• Auction process has been consistently distorted internationally– Monopoly rent-seeking focus by some governments

• 3G in Europe

– Both market and admin failure in evidence

                                                                       

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