Deník N: Auction conditions further delay licensing fourth Czech mobile operator

The planned introduction of a fourth mobile operator onto the Czech market faces further delays, with a new licence unlikely to be issued before spring 2021, Denik N reports.

The main reason for the delay is the announcement of new auction conditions for the eventual new operator, the daily says. It notes interest now for several new domestic contenders, including Czech lottery company Sazka and power company ČEZ.

The Czech Telecommunication Office originally planned a deadline at the turn of 2019 and 2020, with the allocation of frequencies to take place before the spring.

Czechs are currently served by Vodafone, T-Mobile and O2, and pay more for data service than in most EU countries.