Telefonica Czech Republic and T-Mobile Czech Republic have entered a new deal to bolster their 2G and 3G operations in the central European country. On Thursday the mobile operators announced an agreement which will see them share network coverage to…
Telefonica Czech Republic and T-Mobile Czech Republic have entered a new deal to bolster their 2G and 3G operations in the central European country.
On Thursday the mobile operators announced an agreement which will see them share network coverage to reach a wider customer base and consolidate their 3G sharing scheme implemented in 2011.
T-Mobile CR CEO Milan Vasina said in a statement that services will be available to more customers. It will also mean better coverage of both voice and data services for customers of both parties, he said.
With the paper work dealt with, the first tests in artificial conditions will be conducted next week. According to a Telefonica statement, the main goal of these tests is to confirm the proposed technological solution. The commercial sharing is expected to begin in the first half of 2014.
The sharing scheme impletmented two years ago has been aimed at accelerating 3G deployment in smaller towns. Currently, Telefonica and T-Mobile share almost 1,000 3G sites. The number of shared sites under the new agreement will be finalised based on the results of the tests.
T-Mobile CR and Telefonica CR, operating under the O2 brand name, are Czech Republic’s number one and number two operators respectively, followed by Vodafone CR and Air Telecom’s U:fon.
Separately, Telefonica CR’s bid to stop an auction of 4G spectrum was thrown out by a Czech court, according to local reports. Last month the mobile operator filed a lawsuit, protesting against the regulator’s plan to reserve some spectrum for a new entrant.
The auction is scheduled to start on 11 November.
