Following requests from interested parties, the Israeli Ministry of Communications has postponed a 5G frequency tender.
The tender will be delayed for two weeks, with the MoC stating that “for further delays will be considered by the committee.” Originally scheduled for 24th November, the tender was announced in July and will see spectrum made available in the 700MHz, 2600MHz, and 3500MHz-3800MHz bands.
Operators are being offered financial incentives of as much as ILS500 million (USD144 million) to bid in the auctions. Given their precarious financial situation, operators are being permitted to defer payment for licences until 2022.
Second-placed operator Partner Communications is one of the parties calling for the auction to be delayed, arguing that it needed more time after a board reshuffle last week resulted in the departure of several directors.
