Magyar Telekom, Vodafone Hungary extend 2100MHz licences to mid-2027

Hungarian mobile operators Magyar Telekom and Vodafone have each confirmed that they have extended their 2100MHz licences for seven-and-a-half years for a one-off fee of HUF11 billion (USD38.5 million) apiece. The licences – originally issued in 2004 as 3G UMTS concessions – expire in December 2019 but will now run to June 2027. Magyar Telekom disclosed that it must pay the fee to regulator NMHH in Q1 2019, whilst Vodafone Hungary noted that it currently offers 3G W-CDMA/HSPA voice and data services at 2100MHz but has also begun developing the band for 4G LTE usage whilst the range may be utilised for 5G in the future.