The second 5G auction in Austria was postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
In September 2020, the Austrian regulator RTR finally completed the delayed multi-band 5G auction. RTR had to postpone the auction due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The second 5G auction in Austria awarded frequencies in the 700 MHz, 1,500 MHz and 2,100 MHz bands, raising 202 million EUR. In March 2019, 3.4- 3.8GHz spectrum was auctioned to seven successful bidders generating 188 million EUR.
27 blocks were up for sale, including six blocks in the 700MHz band, twelve in the 2100MHz range and nine in the 1500MHz band.
T-Mobile Austria paid 87 million EUR for 2×20MHz of 700MHz spectrum, 20MHz in the 1500MHz band and 2×15MHz of 2100MHz spectrum. A1 Telekom will pay 66 million EUR for 30MHz of frequencies in the 1500MHz band and 2×25MHz in the 2100MHz range. The incumbent player did not get 700 MHz spectrum. Hutchison Drei won 2×10MHz of 700MHz spectrum, 30MHz in the 1500MHz band and 2×20MHz of 2100MHz frequencies for a total of 50 million EUR.
The government aims to deploy 5G on main traffic routes by the end of 2023 and to reach “virtually nationwide” 5G coverage by the end of 2025. 700 MHz licences will include coverage of 80% of 2,100 underserved communities with download speeds of 30 Mbps and 3 Mbps for upload by 2027, and 90% of federal and state roads should get at least 10 Mbps for downloads and 1 Mbps for uploads.
