Complaints against 5G auction conditions

All three major Czech mobile operators filed legal complaints against the conditions of the planned auction for 5G frequencies.

One of the goals of the auction is to bring a fourth mobile operator to the Czech market. According to the experts, this could also help to reduce mobile data prices in the country, which are among the most expensive in Europe.

However, according to O2, Vodafone and T-Mobile, the conditions of the auction are discriminatory. At the same time, the companies also do not agree with the allocation of frequencies in the 3.4-3.6 GHz band. The conditions set by the Czech Telecommunication Office allow the operators to obtain 60 MHz - that is the lowest amount in Europe.

The European Commission recommends that member states allocate at least 80 to 100 MHz to allow for sufficient quality of the 5G connection. According to the Association of Mobile Service Providers, under the current conditions of the auction, the Czech Republic will become unable to compete among other European countries.

"It is almost certain that some solutions which require a very high capacity of the 5G network will stop working upon arrival in the Czech Republic. At the same time, the poor digital infrastructure will discourage investors from coming to the country," said Jiří Grund, the Association's executive director.