Is Deutsche Telekom unit heading for the exit?
Romania’s telecoms regulator, Ancom, raised just €432.6 million, rather than the €700 million it expected from its latest 5G spectrum auction. Spectrum in the 700MHz, 1500MHz, 2600MHz and 3400-3800MHz bands was up for grabs.
Orange Romania spent a total of €264.6 million to secure the most spectrum in the auction, securing two blocks of 2x5MHz in the 700MHz frequency duplex division (FDD) band, all eight blocks of 5MHz on offer in the 1500MHz band and 16 blocks of 10MHz in the 3400-3800MHz band.
According to a statement from the operator, “Orange becomes the operator in Romania with the largest spectrum portfolio, which assumes the most obligations to cover the national territory with services.”
Orange has rolled out 5G to 20 cities so far and its 4G network covers 98.49% of the country’s population and 100% of the urban population.
Vodafone Romania paid €122.5 million for one block of 2x5MHz in the 700MHz band FDD, and 10 blocks of 10MHz in the 3400-3800MHz band.
RCS & RDS paid €45.4 million for four blocks of 2x5MHz in the 2600MHz FDD band and five blocks of 10MHz in the 3400-3800MHz band.
Telekom Romania Mobile Communications did not take part which fuels more rumours about its imminent exit from the market. It belongs to Greece’s national operator OTE, which in turn is owned by the Deutsche Telekom (DT) group. Last year OTE sold its fixed-line unit, Telekom Romania Communications, to Orange.
Liudmila Climoc, CEO of Orange Romania, commented, “We have made a significant investment to offer customers, the business environment, central and local administrations, but also researchers, an Orange network prepared for the challenges brought by the digital transformation of the next 25 years”.