The need for this postponement stems from the exceptional circumstances we are experiencing due to Covid-19, and the new date will be assessed and determined based on when the containment measures adopted to address this pandemic end. The postponement, which is not a suspension of the process, will be for the minimum time necessary to complete it.

The Second Digital Dividend, that is, the change in the frequencies assigned to television channels in the 700MHz band in order to use them to deploy future 5G networks, is carried out by mandate of the European Union (Decision 2017/899 of the European Parliament and of the Council) and had a deadline for its execution of June 30, 2020.

However, the Ministry points out in a statement that the decision of the European authorities already foresaw the possibility that the deadline for this process could be postponed for certain reasons such as force majeure, as is the current case.

Furthermore, the Ministry adds that, as a consequence of this postponement, telecommunications operators will not be able to have the 700 MHz frequency band available for the deployment of 5G services on the scheduled date.

In this context, he adds that operators are making an extra effort to deal with the crisis caused by Covid-19 and keep people and businesses connected, which is why the auction of the 700 MHz band has also been postponed.

The department headed by Nadia Calviño points out that the postponement of the auctions for 5G frequency bands is a decision adopted in recent days by other European Union countries, such as France, Austria and Portugal.