Page 13 - bne_Tech_09_2020

Telecom
September 2020 www.intellinews.com I Page 13
5G auction in Czechia challenged by the major mobile operators
All three domestic mobile operators in Czechia have officially challenged the terms of the frequency auction for fast 5G networks, the Czech News Agency reported. The conditions of competition are discriminatory, especially in the area of national roaming, the operators stressed.
They are also concerned about the low maximum frequency allocation in the 3.4 to 3.6 GHz band, which is the lowest in Europe and does not allow gigabit speeds.
In August, the Czech Telecommunication Office (CTU) launched a tender in which it will distribute radio frequencies for fast 5G mobile networks in the 700 MHz and 3.4 to 3.6 GHz bands in the form of an electronic auction. The tender is open to applications until the end of September.
“The aim of the CTU is to boost competition
in a market, ensure the efficient use of radio frequencies, to support technological innovation and the development of future 5G networks by setting the conditions of the tender,” the telecoms office commented on the launch.
The CTU immediately sparked criticism from potential bidders, O2 Czech Republic, Vodafone and T-Mobile. The Czech O2 company, owned by the wealthiest Czech Petr Kellner, filed a complaint with the European Commission already in July. In the complaint, O2 stated that the conditions of the competition do not comply with European standards and are in conflict with national and EU legislation.
Recently, as the news agency found out, the other
two major mobile operators T-Mobile and Vodafone sued the CTU at the Municipal Court in Prague.
According to CTU spokeswoman Barbora Havelkova, the operators have attacked the conditions of the auction in the past, it is a common procedure,
she said, however, the process of the announced tender has not been affected in any way. "As we mentioned earlier, it is necessary to be aware of how the spectrum is distributed and used in the Czech Republic, where operators, for example, do not make full use of all allocated frequencies," she said, as quoted by the news agency.
So far, various bidders indicated their intentions to enter the auction, such as the state-owned energy company CEZ, Sazka Mobil, Poda and Nordic Telecom.
In a statement published on September 8, the Czech industry and trade ministry openly supported the next-generation networks, emphasising they help develop smart cities and homes, on the occasion of the launch of video transmissions via the application Zachranka (Emergency). As stated by the ministry, it is an example of how modern networks can serve people.
The application was first in Europe to launch video transmissions using 5G between a person in need and an emergency service. "The topic of telemedicine is very timely and as the example of the Zachranka application shows, the use of modern communication technologies is a way to go in the future and bring benefits to all,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlicek.