How relevant is the Dutch 4G auction?

At first sight, an auction is business-as-usual, a non-event.

• Spectrum: simply a license renewal.

Taking a closer look, it looks quite exciting:

• Spectrum: a lot of licenses, technology-neutral, up for grabs.
• New entrant: from 3 to 4 MNOs.
• Technology: from 3G to 4G.

However:

• New entrant: Tele2 is an MVNO already. End-users will not care.
• Technology: upgraded 3G (HSPA) can match 4G performance at launch.

Conclusion: not so much of a big deal after all ... at first.