NMHH, the National Media and Infocommunications Authority of Hungary, has awarded mobile broadband spectrum in the 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands and unallocated 900MHz and 1.8GHz spectrum through an open tender to Magyar Telekom, Vodafone Hungary, Telenor Hungary, and Digi Telecommunications. The regulatory body has raised HUF130.6 billion (EUR 420 million) with Magyar Telkom, a unit of Deutsche Telekom paying HUF58.65 billion, Telenor HUF31.73 billion, Vodafone HUF30.23 billion, while Digi Telecommunications will pay HUF10 billion.
Digi Telecommunications, a local entity owned by RCS&RDS will be a new entrant to Hungary telecom scene and is given 18 months to build a brand new mobile network.
NMHH hopes that with the use of these frequencies, the country will have a wider mobile internet coverage and that it will help to develop its digital economy and boost economic competition. The telecom body is also confident that the usage of 800 MHz frequency band, which has very favourable propagation characteristics, will help service providers to introduce state-of-the-art mobile services to unserved areas and increase penetration of mobile data services.
