Greece’s telecoms regulator has said that Wind Hellas, OTE’s mobile unit Cosmote, and Vodafone have all submitted bids in the country’s latest spectrum auction. EETT is granting rights to use the 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands and the deadline to bid…
Greece’s telecoms regulator has said that Wind Hellas, OTE’s mobile unit Cosmote, and Vodafone have all submitted bids in the country’s latest spectrum auction.
EETT is granting rights to use the 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands and the deadline to bid for frequencies expired on the 15 September.
Cosmote, Vodafone and Wind are the country’s only mobile operators, and Vodafone and Wind share their 2G and 3G networks.
Greece last auctioned spectrum in 2011, when it raised a total €380.535m (US$519m) by selling frequencies in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands, despite the country’s ongoing debt crisis.
The recession-hit country’s telecoms market is moving closer toward consolidation, which local analysts say the sector dearly needs. At the moment M&A activity appears to be focused on triple-play operator Forthnet, but there could be movement in the mobile sector in the coming years.
Vodafone and Wind held talks about a merger in 2012, but Vodafone pulled out of the process. However, analysts believe a deal may still happen in the future as the companies have become closer since 2012.
