The president of Altice Portugal stated this Friday that 5G services are available in Portugal “when Anacom decides”, because that depends on the regulator, and expressed “seriously doubts that it is real” to have the technology still in 2021.

Alexandre Fonseca was speaking to a group of journalists this Friday, about the end of the 5G auction, which ended on Wednesday.

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Asked when there will be 5G in Portugal, the manager was perentory: “When will Anacom [Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações] decide, when Anacom allows it”.

On whether we are talking about offering services until the end of the year, Alexandre Fonseca insisted that this “depends” on the regulator. “From our side, if frequency usage rights [DUF] came today, we started the service today”, he stressed.

Anacom will now have to make a preliminary report, this Friday afternoon there will be a meeting to discuss the period of frequency bands, after which the preliminary report follows, a period of public consultation, a final report, the beginning of the process of settlement of the amounts issued, the final opinion after these payments, the beginning of the process of construction of the rights of use of frequency ”and their availability, listed the executive president of the owner of Meo.

“This is a mostly administrative process and it is a process that depends solely and exclusively on Anacom”, he emphasized.

However, “if Anacom has the same pace as it had the right to 200 days, 1,727 rounds for the end of the week, we risk that we will spend a few weeks, if not months, having 5G in our customers”, he continued.

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Now, “if Anacom changes its attitude and accelerates this process, I believe that, speaking for Altice Portugal, but I believe that all operators present, at least those interested in investing in Portugal, we will be ready to start as soon as possible. possible,” he added.

Asked if the start of fifth generation services in 2022 is guaranteed, Alexandre Fonseca said: “I believe we won’t get to that point where it won’t be 22 that we’ll have 5G in Portugal“, Now“ 21 I have serious doubts that it is real to have 5G services in Portugal ”.

The owner of Meo claims to be prepared to start up with fifth-generation services, with “more than a hundred antenna sites spread across the country, in all the district capitals”, which could already happen “tomorrow” or “today” is defined as such by Anacom.

“In addition to the 125 million that we invested in the concessions, we have several hundred million euros invested and many others to invest to ensure that the coverage obligations that were imposed by the regulator in this tender – considering that they are unfair, disproportionate and unreasonable, and just compare with other European countries – […] it will certainly be implemented and we will respect them and this implies an investment of several hundred million euros that Altice Portugal will continue to make”, he guaranteed.

“Now, the warning that I have already reinforced this Friday here: as long as this environment of regulatory hostility, of a fierce attack by the regulator on the sector continues, it will clearly be a point of instability and unpredictability in the telecommunications sector and instability and unpredictability these are the two criteria that most distance investment, most destroy value and most threaten employment”, concluded Alexandre Fonseca.