Poland is still optimistic that 5G spectrum will be sold at auction this year even though it has delayed the sale of 3.4GHz-3.8GHz licences.
Bidding for the 5G-ready spectrum began March this year but the government took the decision the following month to shelve the process and reopen it when the Covid-19 crisis has eased.
According to the country’s Minister of Digitisation Marek Zagorski, the government aims to issue licences in time for the winning bidders to launch their commercial offerings this year.
Operators have already begun deployments in other bands, including Polkomtel (Plus), which is offering 5G services in seven cities via the 2.6GHz band.
Meanwhile, cable firm UPC Polska has signed a wholesale network deal to boost its national footprint. The agreement will allow UPC to use rival operator INEA’s FiberHost open access fibre network, deployed as part of the government’s POPC (Operational Programme Digital Poland) initiative.
In turn, the POPC programme falls under the EU’s Digital Agenda 2020, and is partially funded by the union. FiberHost is currently accessible in eight of Poland’s regions: Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodz, Lubelskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie and Slaskie.
UPC CEO Robert Redeleanu said: “In total, thanks to already-signed access contracts to the POPC network, the range of our services will increase by another 1.7 million households in Poland.”
