CHAPTER 1Principal stage, assignment stage and grant stage
Principal stage, assignment stage and grant stage
17.—(1) The process for the award of licences shall consist of the procedure set out in Chapters 2 to 9 of this Part (“principal stage”), the procedure set out in Chapters 10 to 14 of this Part (“assignment stage”) and the procedure set out in Chapter 15 of this Part (“grant stage”).
(2) During the principal stage there shall be one round for the submission of opt-in bids (“opt-in round”), one or more rounds for the submission of primary bids (“primary bid rounds”) and one round for the submission of supplementary bids (“supplementary bids round”).
(3) A bid made during the principal stage shall be a bid for a licence which authorises the use of frequencies corresponding to a selection of lots chosen by the bidder.
(4) A selection of lots means one or more lots of the same or different types, where the number of lots of each type included in the selection is specified but not any particular numbered lot which falls within that type.
(5) After the conclusion of the supplementary bids round, OFCOM shall determine which of the bids made in the principal stage are winning principal stage bids.
(6) Following completion of the principal stage, the specific frequencies that are to be assigned to the winning bidders shall be determined by OFCOM in accordance with the procedure set out in the assignment stage.
(7) Licences authorising the use of the frequencies so determined shall be granted by OFCOM in accordance with the grant stage.