Czech 5G auction postponed

Details: Vaughan O'Grady; Category: Regulation; 18 October 2019; 10982 views

The Czech Telecommunication Office (CTU) has changed the dates for the country’s forthcoming 5G spectrum auction.

This follows a public consultation on the draft terms and conditions of the auction of 5G network frequencies in the 700MHz and 3400MHz–3600MHz (3.5GHz) bands. Originally planned for autumn 2019, the process will now start next year.

The new timetable now suggests a call for tenders at the beginning of January 2020, followed by the actual application for tender in February and the launch of the electronic auction in April 2020. The decision on the allocation of radio frequencies will be announced in July 2020.

The original notice of the auction (published in February) said that the auction terms will include favourable conditions for new entrants and added: “One of the key objectives of the auction is to promote competition in the Czech mobile market, in particular on the infrastructure level, by enabling a new player to enter the infrastructure market. The CTU therefore propose that the auction terms include conditions designed to enable a new entrant to acquire spectrum and to enter the Czech mobile market.”

Apart from the reference to a public consultation, the reasons for the delay do not appear to have been detailed. In addition, CTU has suggested that the new schedule is indicative and therefore subject to change.