Dow Jones Newswires reports that the Hungarian government has raised a total of HUF43.9 billion (USD197 million) from the auction of mobile frequencies in the 900MHz band. The regulator, the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH), held the tender to sell a 10.8MHz block of spectrum and today reports that a consortium led by state-owned electricity wholesaler MVM has won the ‘A block’, suitable for both internet and voice services, paying HUF10 billion.
Further, the country’s three incumbent mobile carriers – Telenor (formerly Pannon), Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom-backed T-Mobile Hungary – each secured spectrum from parts of the ‘less valuable’ ‘B block’, which is better suited to provide mobile internet access in rural parts of the country. Vodafone reportedly bid HUF15.7 billion, T-Mobile offered HUF10.9 billion and Telenor bid HUF7.3 billion, the watchdog said.