The Office of Electronic Communications (Urzad Komunikacji Elektronicznej, UKE) in Poland is launching a consultation process on 20 December ahead of the planned award of 5G licences in the 3.5GHz band (3480MHz-3800MHz) next year. The allocation process has been delayed while the government updates the Electronic Communication Law and the Act on the National Cybersecurity System (KSC).
In October 2022 industry body Digital Poland (Cyfrowa Polska) wrote to the government to request that 3.5GHz C-band spectrum be made available for 5G services ‘as soon as possible’, saying that the prompt allocation of licences was ‘necessary and urgent’. Among EU countries, only Poland and the Netherlands have failed to award 3.5GHz concessions to support 5G.
UKE had previously opened an auction for four 3.5GHz licences in March 2020, with each offering 80MHz of spectrum, but the process was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.