Hungary’s telecom regulator plans to auction off spectrum suitable for 5G services in the third quarter of next year.
The country’s National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) this week said it has begun work on the sale process that will see it allocate licences for 700MHz and 3.4GHz-3.8GHz frequencies.
NMHH President Monika Karas said the authority will establish the terms and conditions surrounding the spectrum as soon as possible; it aims to ensure draft legislation is ready by the end of this year.
Karas said the regulator’s main aim is to facilitate the provision of high-quality, versatile and innovative 5G services at affordable prices, ensuring that telcos can rely on a secure and predictable regulatory environment.
The news came as Vodafone demonstrated a live video broadcast over 5G for what it claimed was the first time in Hungary.
The trial used spectrum in the 3.5GHz band. Vodafone noted that it is the only provider in the country to currently hold 5G frequencies.
The operator said it used a standalone infrastructure to carry out the test, comprising a core network and 5G modem, independent of the 4G network, and a base station equipped with a Massive MIMO active antenna.
It is almost a year since Magyar Telekom and Ericsson demonstrated what they claimed was the first 5G radio link in Hungary.
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