Hungarian operators deny alleged ‘auction collusion’

Hungary’s Competition Authority (Gazdassgi Versenyhivatal [GVH]) is investigating alleged ‘collusion’ between two operators – Magyar Telekom and Telenor Hungary – in the country’s multi-band mobile spectrum auction of 2014, it announced on its website. The GVH disclosed that within the framework of its investigation it has made unannounced onsite inspections at the premises of both companies. The GVH notes that the anti-competition allegations involve ‘coordinating behaviours in respect of tenders’ but the authority stresses that ‘the initiation of the competition supervision proceeding does not mean that the undertakings in question have actually committed an infringement’. The proceedings should be closed within six months, although this time limit can be extended twice by a further six months, depending on the complexity of the case. Norwegian-owned Telenor and Deutsche Telekom-backed Magyar Telekom have denied violating any laws in statements to the Hungarian media.