Launched at the end of 2020 in France, 5G operates in several frequency bands, including the 3.4-3.8 GHz band. Arcep is concerned about possible interference with fixed satellite earth stations, as these use the 3.8-4.2 GHz band.

Such proximity could cause interference. This is why the telecom regulator decided to launch a public consultation on 27 July: "The purpose of this public consultation is to clarify the conditions of coexistence, both from the point of view of the technical conditions to be respected and their location and duration. The proposed text seeks to distinguish between existing stations and those that could be deployed in the future, and to take into account the levels of constraints on the deployment of 5G networks, which may vary according to the stations and their location". Contributions from the stakeholders are expected before 29 October 2021.

Arcep also recalls that measures have already been taken in this regard: "In order to avoid such interference, Arcep's decisions of 12 November 2020 authorising mobile operators to use the 3.4-3.8 GHz band specify the obligation for mobile operators to take the necessary measures to comply with emission power levels".

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Source : Univers Freebox

In its newsletter on Monday, the Arcep college published an editorial to review the implications of a recent picket by the incumbent operator. Indeed, at the end of the summer, Orange submitted a Priority Question of Constitutionality (QPC) to the Conseil d'Etat in order to challenge the telecoms regulator's power to impose sanctions. But according to the college, Orange "[challenges] the pragmatic spirit of French-style regulation". With this initiative, the incumbent operator "does not attack the Arcep so much but attacks the French regulatory model more broadly", says Sébastien Soriano, President of the Arcep.

The sanctioning power of the Arcep is vital for the proper functioning of the current regulation, the college stresses in its editorial. In particular, it would not be possible to benefit from "the commitments that operators can make on competitive or territorial coverage issues", argues the telecoms police officer. "Without control and sanctions, these commitments would only be paper," he insists.

Very upset by the initiative of the incumbent operator, Sébastien Soriano said "I am not sure that Orange has measured all the consequences". The President of Arcep says that if his power of sanction were to disappear, then France would have to choose another regulatory model. Wishing to take advantage of the "synergy between infrastructures and services", it decided to leave the incumbent operator in charge of its network for its deployments.

Sébastien Soriano explains "We felt that Orange, because of its need to win back customers in the fixed Internet, had an incentive to invest in fibre", seeing it as a "positive market dynamic. But the counterpart of this choice is that the regulator must check on a daily basis that Orange is not taking advantage of this situation by giving itself an advantage on the retail market. This is called non-discrimination. To ensure this, regular monitoring and sanction procedures are required. Without them, we would potentially be forced to choose much more radical regulatory approaches..."

And ends by correcting: "It's not a threat, it's factual".

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Source : La Tribune