The TRA has issued the “Draft Opinion for Determining Spectrum Right To Use Fees” for consultation with the objective of setting out, for the benefit of the Minister of Telecommunications and the Council of Ministers, the opinion and recommendations of the TRA on a policy framework for setting spectrum right-to-use (RTU) fees and the TRA’s initial recommendations for setting spectrum RTU fees in the broadband and mobile sectors. This document will provide potential and current stakeholders in the Telecommunications sector with the TRA’s suggestion related to the Spectrum Annual RTU fees for the different services relying on the usage of Radio frequencies.

The TRA aims at ensuring an efficient utilization of Radio Frequencies which are a scarce and vital resource for the development of telecommunications services and a major asset to the Lebanese economy whilst promoting at the same time consumer welfare. The main benefits of the “Draft Opinion for Determining Spectrum Right To Use Fees” are:

• To ensure a fair return to the public for private use of a public asset.
• To impose an economic discipline on the use of scarce spectrum resources to ensure efficiency and reduce waste.
• To identify and authorize the most valuable use of the scarce spectrum resources when allocating frequency bands for which demand exceeds the available supply.
• To establish transparent allocation protocols (such as auctions) for use in determining which applicants will be granted frequency licenses for what spectrum when demand for spectrum exceeds the available supply.

The “Draft Opinion for Determining Spectrum Right To Use Fees” is now launched for consultation. Interested parties are kindly requested to submit their feedback before the 3rd of August, 2009 after having reviewed the following documents:

• Draft Opinion for Determining Spectrum Right To Use Fees
• Consultation Process

The feedback can be submitted by email at spectrum_pricing_opinion@tra.gov.lb or by courier (hard and soft copy) at the TRA, Marfaa 200 Building Second Floor, Beirut Central District along with Cover Sheet for response to a TRA Consultation.