Hong Kong’s Communications Authority (CA) revealed plans to hold an auction in Q4 to reassign 50MHz of 2.6GHz spectrum, which expires in May 2028.

CA stated the spectrum utilisation fee will be determined by auction, with the reserve price to be specified nearer the time of the sale.

The agency explained its technology-neutral approach would allow assignees to use any widely recognised standard for service provision.

Winning bidders may submit a joint application for frequency swapping mutually agreeable to the companies.

The resigned spectrum will be sold in five 2x5MHz blocks, with a spectrum cap of 20MHz to be imposed on each bidder.

A new unified carrier licence with a validity period of 15 years will be issued to each winner.

Assignees will be required to provide a minimum coverage of 90 per cent within five years of receiving the spectrum.

The spectrum is currently held by China Mobile Hong Kong, Genius Brand, HKT and SmarTone.

Genius Brand is a joint venture between HKT and Hutchison Telephone.

The CA and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development opened a public consultation in September 2024 to gather input from stakeholders.