Hungary Calls Tender for 3,400-3,800 Megahertz Frequency Licences

By Margit Feher

BUDAPEST--Hungary called a tender Monday to auction mobile frequency licences valid until 2034 in the 3,400 to 3,800 megahertz spectrum to develop the country's mobile data network, the country's communications authority NMHH said Tuesday.

The licences in the 3,400-3,600 MHz frequency band granted earlier for a period of 15 years will expire July 30 this year while there was market interest in the 3,600-3,800 MHz frequency band, the NMHH said in a news release.

Three mobile service providers operate in Hungary: market leader Magyar Telekom Nyrt. (MTELEKOM.BU), which is majority-owned by Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE.XE), Telenor Hungary Zrt., a unit of Norway's Telenor ASA (TEL.OS), and Vodafone Hungary Zrt., an arm of U.K. mobile operator Vodafone Group PLC (VOD).

Bidders may submit their bids on Monday May 2.

The 3,400-3,800 MHz frequency spectrum offers an opportunity to install high-density and high-speed broadband wireless networks to expand existing mobile bands or could be used independently and service the spectrum needs of 5G systems.

The 3,600-3,800 MHz frequency band, which hasn't been in use until this auction, must be made available under a European Union decision, subject to market demand, for wireless broadband firms that are capable of providing services with high data transfer speeds for subscribers, the NMHH added.

Hungary last auctioned mobile telecommunications licences in the autumn of 2014, when it offered 800, 900, 1,800 and 2,600 MHz frequencies.

Demand for broadband mobile services has been rising steadily ever since, the authority added.

Write to Margit Feher at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 12, 2016 08:18 ET (12:18 GMT)

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