T-Mobile Czech Republic is looking to invest up to CZK1 billion (USD48 million) in increasing its fibre-optic network footprint, of which more than half will be spent in this year alone. With customers looking for ultra-high speed internet access and ancillary services such as IPTV, and support for smart home appliances or smart cars, T-Mobile says it is crucial to invest more in its fibre-optic deployment. Milan Vasina, CEO of both T-Mobile CR and neighbouring group sister company Slovak Telekom, noted that if T-Mobile ‘want[s] to be the number one in convergent services, [it must] build optical networks that go directly into customers’ homes.’ This year, T-Mobile CR says it will spend as much as CZK750 million – part of a much bigger CAPEX outlay of between CZK10 billion to CZK15.3 billion over the next approximately five years.
Vasina says that T-Mobile is aiming to connect ‘a fifth to a quarter of households’ across the country, which is the equivalent of up to one million households. Echoing the CEO’s plan, T-Mobile technical director Branimira Maric pointed out that it costs between USD490 and USD735 to connect each home to its network. Preparations for the network expansion began last year and already T-Mobile has several thousand residential customers enjoying fibre-optic connectivity.