(Telecompaper) Spain's Ministry of Economic Affairs has notified the European Commission that it will be unable to hold its auction of 5G-ready spectrum in the 700MHz band before the scheduled EU deadline of 30 June 2020, confirming earlier reports. In a statement, the ministry said the current "State of Alarm" caused by the coronavirus pandemic has led to the decision to suspend the country's digital dividend plan to free up the 700 MHz band for 5G mobile services with a view to ensuring that digital terrestrial television (DTT) reception is not affected by the need to retune antennas.