According the local reports, the ministry is discussing a 2013 plan, with the communications department planning to hold the tender and complete the allocated frequencies for mobile operators to begin investing and preparing for new networks in the coming year.
The minister confirmed plans to allocate 1800MHz frequencies, available for use to operators Pelephone, HOT Mobile and Golan Telecom for LTE capability. Other operators, Cellcom and Partner Communications already have frequencies in this band and will not be able to acquire additional frequencies.
The tender committee is set to decide on the structure of the allocation and the number of frequencies, and it will also decide on allocation terms. It has been confirmed that if a mobile network is not planned, it will not be able to receive an allocation of frequencies.
It is also undecided what will happen if Cellcom or Partner decide to build 4G networks before the tender, and what actions the committee will take.