View source for Portugal apos;s Main Telcos Sign Up For 5G Auction Amid Legal Dispute

<br>By Sergio Goncalves<br> <br>LISBON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Portugal´s three biggest telecoms companies said they had submitted applications to take part in the country's 5G licence auction amid a legal dispute with the Portuguese telecoms regulator over the rules.<br> <br>NOS, Vodafone and Altice - which together serve nearly 100% of Portugal's mobile customers - all said they filed their applications for the auction on November 27.<br> <br>ANACOM has reserved a [https://www.gov.uk/search?q=portion portion] of the spectrum in the 900 MHz and 1,800 Mhz bands for new entrants,  [https://kynghidongduong.vn/blog/le-hoi-hoa-tam-giac-mach-ha-giang-va-nhung-diem-check-in-voi-hoa-dep-nhat.html hà giang tam giác mạch] as a push to encourage competition and improve services.<br> <br>Altice,  [https://kynghidongduong.vn/blog/le-hoi-hoa-tam-giac-mach-ha-giang-va-nhung-diem-check-in-voi-hoa-dep-nhat.html kynghidongduong.vn] Vodafone and NOS will have to share their infrastructure and offer national roaming to the new entrants' customers.<br> <br>About 15 days ago, the three established players filed precautionary injunctions in a Lisbon court against the rules, which they claim unfairly favour new entrants.<br><br>They also sent complaints to the European Commission.<br> <br>An ANACOM spokeswoman rejected any discrimination and said that the measures "aim to generate a positive impact on competition and end users, creating conditions so that new and diversified operations can appear in the market."<br> <br>An Altice Portugal spokeswoman said: "The submission of applications doesn't guarantee, nor require, that the candidates advance in the auction."<br> <br>"We reiterate... the 5G auction rules ... represent a huge setback for competitiveness and undermine the sustainability of the sector, reducing and destroying investment and value creation," she said.<br> <br>A NOS spokesman said the company expected the auction rules to be changed.<br> <br>A Vodafone Portugal spokeswoman said: "We maintain the hope that some of the lawsuits can still be decided in time."<br> <br>The auction, which the government hopes will raise some 238 million euros ($285.17 million), is expected to last into January.<br><br>There is no fixed deadline for a judgement on the court cases.<br> <br>($1 = 0.8346 euros) (By Sergio Goncalves, Editing by Victoria Waldersee and Jane Merriman)<br>