RCS&RDS owns a 3G license for the 2,100 MHz band, awarded in early 2007 and valid for 15 years, for which it paid $35 million.
“After we analyze [telecom regulator] ANCOM’s documents, we will decide on which licenses to bid. We definitely want to buy licenses for low frequencies, 800 and 900 MHz, but we will probably also bid on the licenses for the 1,800 and 2,600 MHz bands. Our objective is to provide 4G services to our clients,” said Popoviciu.
ANCOM announced Wednesday that the tender book for the 56 mobile communication licenses, in frequency bands 800, 900, 1,800 and 2,600 MHz, will be published around May 1. The starting price of all 56 licenses is EUR726.8 million and individual prices range from EUR800,000 to EUR40 million, depending on the length of their validity, 15 months or 15 years.
Each frequency block awarded for 15 years in the 800 MHz band will have a minimum price of EUR35 million and those in the 900 MHz band will have a starting price of EUR40 million. In the 1,800 MHz band, the minimum price is EUR10 million per frequency block, and EUR4 million and EUR3 million in the 2,600 MHz band.
For frequency blocks awarded for 15 months, the starting prices are as follows: EUR3.4 million in the 900 MHz band and EUR800,000 in the 1,800 MHz band.
RCS&RDS invested $1 billion in their networks’ development until 2010. “The investments have continued and now this figure is higher,” Popoviciu said.
The operator was set up 16 years ago and also does business in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Spain and Italy. RCS&RDS developed its own fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure and provides cable TV, Internet, landline and mobile telephony to more than 200 cities in Romania.
The company is indirectly controlled by Zoltan Teszari.