By Veronika Gulyas
BUDAPEST--The chief executive of Hungary's largest
telecommunications firm Magyar Telekom Nyrt. (MTELEKOM.BU) said
Thursday it would be reasonable to expect another mobile spectrum
tender this year.
Hungary's supreme court the Curia on Tuesday annulled a spectrum
tender concluded Jan. 31 last year, under which the existing mobile
companies would have been awarded parts of the 900 megahertz
frequency band on offer, which would have allowed them to widen
their existing businesses.
Magyar Telekom Chief Executive Christopher Mattheisen said it
would be reasonable to expect more to be available at an upcoming
tender.
"All market participants are aware that this an urgent issue,"
Mr. Mattheisen said at a press briefing following the firm's
fourth-quarter earnings report.
Magyar Telekom would have won 2MHz at the tender from the total,
but KBC Securities analyst Gergely Palffy expects Magyar Telekom to
buy further to boost its 4th generation or 4G development on the
longer run.
Write to Veronika Gulyas at veronika.gulyas@dowjones.com
