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Saatja: Irena Lukas </o=Majandus-Teede-Sideministeerium/ou=First Administrative Group/cn=Recipients/cn=irena.lukas> Saaja: '[email protected]' Teema: FW: Study on the current and prospective use of the 900 MHz band by GSM as a technology of reference Dear Colleagues, Please find the reply of the Estonian Administration to the GSM questionnaire below. We apologise for the delay with the response, it was caused due to our moving to the new office during previous week. Best regards, Irena Lukas Adviser Entity: Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority Date:15.01.2020 Name: Irena Lukas Function: Adviser 1. Do the licenses of the 900MHz spectrum holders give operators technology flexibility or do they require them to use GSM? When are these licenses due to expire? Answer: All licenses are technology and service neutral, licence holder is flexible to use all technologies possible in the 900 MHz band. Networks are self-planned, what means that operator planes network himself and is guided by the existing regulation and restrictions coming from coordination agreements with neighbouring countries. The duration of the licences is not limited. Licences are renewed on the same conditions annually. 2. Is there national legislation, policies or relevant contracts that could imply an obligation for MNOs to continue providing GSM service? Answer: No, only obligation to provide mobile telephone services as a part of vital services, which is not connected with special technology. 3. Demand for mobile broadband is an important consideration for migrating to new technologies. Is the 900MHz band relevant for the future 5G spectrum deployment strategies formulated by MNOs and/or from your point of view as a national regulator? a. If this is the case, do you foresee any issues with 5G deployment in the 900MHz in the context of the GSM directive? Answer: At the moment we don´t have indications concerning demand for decommissioning of GSM and full deploying of 5G in 900 MHz band. It is used mostly for GSM and UMTS technologies (voice call traffic and data). According to the principles of technological neutrality the licence holders may use all other existing and new possible technologies in the band. 4. 2G networks are known for their significant (almost ubiquitous) coverage. How would you as a national regulator foresee maintaining this level of coverage for public communications in the event of GSM decommissioning? Answer: Decommissioning of GSM might cause problems with the coverage of voice calls service handled in GSM bands. As well it might influence coverage of the provision of vital services one part of which are mobile telephone (voice) calls. There is no big difference in coverage of GSM and other networks. However, some areas with no population are without LTE coverage. 5. How do you see the future of the use of the 900 MHz band in relation to the application of the EU legal framework regarding the provision of eCall in-vehicle system, such as Article 4 of Decision 585/2014/EU pursuant to which “Member States shall ensure that eCalls can originate from anywhere in their territory, provided there is at least one public mobile wireless communications network available” as well as Articles 108 and 109 of the European Electronic Communications Code under Directive 2018/1972? Answer: As there is small difference in coverage, the discontinuing of GSM may influence availability of eCall service. 6. Are you aware of spectrum holders in the 900MHz plans to re-farm/re-purpose their shares in the specified frequency band (e.g. phasing out GSM in favour of LTE)? a. If this is the case: do you have a defined set of actions to handle the phase-out of the 2G network and ensure seamless technological migration for the affected applications/end-users (including a clear view of which users will be most affected)? i. Do you foresee cross-border coordination issues? Answer: The spectrum was already refarmed in order to make possible in addition to GSM the usage of other technologies. Despite of this GSM is still actively in use. a) No b) Yes, we foresee cross-border coordination issues, since in some neighbouring countries the GSM is also actively in use and there are no plans for decommissioning of GSM technology. 7. Related to the previous question, are you aware of reports published by operators to estimate the potential effects such a transition could have (e.g. indications on the number of users and applications affected, estimations on the type of cost savings for MNOs as a result of re-farming spectrum as opposed to purchasing additional bandwidth etc.)? Answer: No 8. Could infrastructure sharing be relevant in the context of 2G phasing out plans by selected MNOs? Answer: N/A From: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, December 10, 2019 6:03 PM To: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> Subject: Study on the current and prospective use of the 900 MHz band by GSM as a technology of reference Dear RSC Members, Please find attached a questionnaire in relation to a study for which VVA and LS Telcom have been contracted by the European Commission– DG CONNECT- on the current and prospective use of the 900 MHz band by GSM as a technology of reference under the ‘GSM’ directive 2009/114/EC, considering present and future Union policies (under contract reference SMART 2019/0006). The study consists of a number of tasks to assess the current situation and its evolution regarding the use of GSM technology including the impact of turning off 2G for the relevant IoT and M2M use cases. Your responses to this questionnaire, where necessary based on your internal coordination with other national competent services and authorities, will be of high invaluable help to our consultants. This matter will be mentioned but not specifically discussed under AOB at the 11 December 2019 RSC meeting. We would appreciate receiving your responses back to the RSC secretariat by 17 January 2020. Yours sincerely, RADIO SPECTRUM COMMITTEE Secretariat European Commission Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology Electronic Communications Networks and Services Directorate Radio Spectrum Policy – Unit B4 BU33 07/87 B-1049 Brussels/Belgium +32 229-68179 [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>