Spectrum regulators may adopt measures to enhance competition when they prepare a new award of radio spectrum. Cullen International’s latest European Radio Spectrum research analyses these measures, showing that 12 of the 21 studied European countries took some measure to support new entrants in at least one recent spectrum award.

Some award rules reserved a part of the spectrum for new entrants, offering those blocks in a pre-auction. Another approach has been to limit the bidding rights of incumbent mobile operators by imposing spectrum caps. Some rules oblige one or more incumbent operators to offer national roaming to new entrants.

In addition, where spectrum regulators attach demanding coverage obligations to new spectrum licences, they usually foresee lighter requirements for successful new entrants.

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