Slovakian fixed and mobile operator Orange Slovensko is in talks with local ISP Slovanet with the hope of acquiring spectrum in the 3.5GHz band, which could be suitable for 5G cellular services. A report from Zive says that both firms confirmed that negotiations are taking place but they did not give further details. Orange could acquire a total of 40MHz in two paired 20MHz blocks (3470MHz-3490MHz/3570MHz-3590MHz), it adds.
Rival mobile operators O2 and 4ka (via parent company SWAN) already have access to 3.5GHz frequencies which is being used for TD-LTE technology, so a successful acquisition of spectrum by Orange would leave Slovak Telekom (ST) as the only one of the country’s cellcos without nationwide rights to spectrum in this band (it does hold a regional 3.5GHz licence covering Bratislava).
TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that Orange is the largest of Slovakia’s four cellcos, controlling around 35% of the country’s 7.9 million cellular subscribers at the end of March 2019.