Poland’s Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) has announced that six companies have submitted preliminary bids in its auction of 4G-capable spectrum in the 800MHz and 2600MHz bands. Offers were received from the country’s four main cellcos – Orange Polska, T-Mobile Poland, P4 and Polkomtel – plus Hubb Investments, which is controlled by broadcast infrastructure firm Emitel, and NetNet, which Gazeta Prawna says is owned by Szymon Ruta, the son of a senior Polkomtel executive and business partner of Polkomtel shareholder Zygmunt Solorz-Zak. The bids will be assessed by 24 December.
As previously reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, 19 packets of 2×5MHz frequencies are being made available in the 800MHz range (791MHz-816MHz paired with 832-857MHz) and 2600MHz band (2500MHz-2570MHz paired with 2620MHz-2690MHz). No entity is allowed to bid for more than two lots in the lower band and four lots in the higher range. A minimum price of PLN250 million (USD75.6 million) has been set for each packet of 800MHz spectrum, while the minimum bid for lots in the 2600MHz band is PLN25 million. The concessions will be valid for 15 years.