Expiry of Short-Term ECS Licences – On 1 April 2023, all Short-Term ECS Licences expired.
Amendment of Three’s Short-term ECS Licence – On 1 February 2023, following a request from Three Ireland (Hutchison) Limited (“Three”) and to allow for an orderly and timely transition, ComReg amended Three’s Short-Term ECS Licence to foreshorten Three’s rights of use in the 2.1 GHz band:
Amendment of Three’s Short-Term ECS Licence – On 26 January 2023, following a request from Three Ireland (Hutchison) Limited (“Three”), ComReg amended Three’s Short-Term ECS Licence to foreshorten Three’s rights of use in the 700 MHz band which expired on 25 January 2023.
Renewal of Short-Term Electronic Communications Services Licences with expiry of 1 April 2023
Following the submission of complete applications, a renewal Short-Term Electronic Communications Services Licence was issued to each of the three MNOs. Each of these licences commences on 2 January 2023 and expires on 1 April 2023.
The spectrum rights included in these licences and the licence period for these spectrum rights are detailed below.
| Licensee | 700 MHz | 2.1 GHz |
| Meteor Mobile Communications Limited |
2 x 10 MHz (02/01/2023 – 01/04/2023) |
2 x 15 MHz (02/01/2023 – 01/04/2023) |
| Three Ireland (Hutchison) Limited |
2 x 10 MHz (02/01/2023 – 01/04/2023) |
2 x 20 MHz (02/01/2023 – 01/04/2023) |
| Vodafone Ireland Limited |
2 x 10 MHz (02/01/2023 – 01/04/2023) |
2 x 15 MHz (02/01/2023 – 01/04/2023) |
Renewal Applications
In November 2022, ComReg contacted the licensees requesting them to submit a completed Application Form (Document 22/78bR) in two parts. Parts 1, 2, 5 and 7 of the Application Form are to be submitted by 16 November 2022 with Parts 3 and 4 of the Application Form and the Licence Fee to be submitted and paid by 20 December 2022. This is to allow the issue of a renewal licence sufficiently in advance of the expiry of current licences on 1 January 2023.
Issue of Short-Term Electronic Communications Services Licences with expiry of 1 January 2023
Following the submission of complete applications, a Short-Term Electronic Communications Services Licence was issued to each of the three MNOs. Each of these licences commences on 2 October 2022 and expires on 1 January 2023.
The spectrum rights included in these licences and the licence period for these spectrum rights are detailed below.
| Licensee | 700 MHz | 2.1 GHz |
| Meteor Mobile Communications Limited |
2 x 10 MHz (02/10/2022 – 01/01/2023) |
2 x 15 MHz (02/10/2022 – 01/01/2023) |
| Three Ireland (Hutchison) Limited |
2 x 10 MHz (02/10/2022 – 01/01/2023) |
2 x 20 MHz (16/10/2022 – 01/01/2023) |
| Vodafone Ireland Limited |
2 x 10 MHz (02/10/2022 – 01/01/2023) |
2 x 15 MHz (16/10/2022 – 01/01/2023) |
Short-Term Electronic Communications Services Licences Regulations 2022
The Wireless Telegraphy (Short-Term Electronic Communications Services Licences) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 484 of 2022) were made on 27 September 2022 by the Commission for Communications Regulation with the consent of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan.
Document 22/78 – Response to Consultation and Decision – Short-term licensing framework for spectrum rights in the 700 MHz and 2.1 GHz Bands from October 2022, Measures to Avoid Consumer Disruption
On 21 September 2022, ComReg published Document 22/78 setting out ComReg’s Decision to put in place a short-term (up to 6 months) licensing framework for spectrum rights of use in the 700 MHz and 2.1 GHz bands from 2 October 2022.
Alongside this document, ComReg also published Document 22/78a – a DotEcon Report on the assessment of submissions to Document 22/72 in relation to fees, and Document 22/78b – an Application Form for a short-term ECS licence.
Document 22/72 – The potential issue of short-term spectrum rights of use in the 700 MHz and 2.1 GHz bands from October 2022 – Proposals to mitigate consumer disruption
On 23 August 2022, ComReg published Document 22/72, setting out ComReg’s proposals to put in place a short-term (up to 6 months) licensing framework for the issue of spectrum rights of use in the 700 MHz and 2.1 GHz bands from 2 October 2022.
Document 22/72a – DotEcon Report – The potential issue of short-term spectrum rights of use in the 700 MHz and 2.1 GHz bands from October 2022 – Recommendations on a framework for short-term licences, including benchmarking
On 23 August 2022, ComReg published a DotEcon Report – The potential issue of short-term spectrum rights of use in the 700 MHz and 2.1 GHz bands from October 2022 – Recommendations on a framework for short-term licences, including benchmarking.
Document 22/63 – The potential issue of short-term rights in the 2.1 GHz band and possibly in other spectrum bands included in the Multi Band Spectrum Award
On 22 July 2022, ComReg published an information notice on the potential issue of short-term rights in the 2.1 GHz band and possibly in other spectrum bands included in the Multi Band Spectrum Award.