Hungary to sell 450, 900 MHz mobile frequencies

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY: Hungary will sell the right to use the last available 450 MHz mobile frequency this year, and may also seek buyers for a fourth 900 MHz frequency, an official at the communications authority said on Tuesday.

"We introduced the 450 MHz range (to potential buyers) first and the tender could be concluded already this year," National Media and Communications Authority (NMHH) vice chairman Gabor Matrai told the news portal index.hu.

"We will sell the 900 MHz range thereafter," he said. "The available frequencies might be put up for tender this year."

Hungary's 2010 budget contains a 20 billion forint ($90 million) revenue line from the sale, Matrai said.

The National Development Ministry said in July it planned to sell a fourth mobile frequency and wanted to see more broadband Internet services.

The three existing mobile providers in the country are Magyar Telekom, itself a unit of German company Deutsche Telekom, British operator Vodafone, and Norwegian group Telenor ASA.

The NMHH has examined the potential market impact of a new mobile operator entering the Hungarian market, Matrai said, adding the sale might happen through an auction or a tender.