Hungary’s leading operator by revenues and subscribers, Magyar Telekom (MTel), has submitted an application to bid in the forthcoming auction of unused mobile spectrum in the 900MHz band, Budapest Business Journal reports. The regulator, the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH), intends to launch the process on 31 January 2012. Yesterday was the deadline for submitting bids.
According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, in August 2011 the NMHH launched an international auction for companies wishing to secure the right to use 900MHz mobile frequencies. The NMHH is inviting bids through the two-round auction process to award three blocks of spectrum in the 900MHz band for the provision of GSM, UMTS, WiMAX or LTE services. The minimum reserve price for one block of 5MHz of EGSM duplex frequency (or ‘A bloc’), is HUF4 billion (USD20.99 million), while other blocks carry reserves of HUF700 million and HUF560 million. The winner of the A bloc will also get an option for three 1800MHz blocks and three 2100MHz blocks, it said. Further, a total of 1MHz ‘B bloc’ frequencies are being offered at a starting price of HUF700 million apiece, and a total of 800MHz ‘C bloc’ frequencies are being offered at a starting price of HUF560 million. The regulator was originally looking for bidders to submit applications on or before 20 October and had expected to conclude the tender on 12 December. The final phase is now likely to take place in January 2012.