Kyivstar, Vodafone-Ukraine and lifecell at auction receive new frequencies for UAH 2.9 bln for 15 years

Kyivstar, Vodafone-Ukraine (VF-Ukraine) and lifecell received new frequencies in the 2100, 2300 and 2600 MHz ranges for 15 years without much struggle following the results of the auction held on Tuesday, having offered a total of UAH 2.895 billion for them with an initial total price of UAH 2.872 billion, a correspondent of the Interfax-Ukraine agency reports.

A total of five lots were put up for auction by voice, two or three applications were submitted for the purchase of each of them. All bids were held in one round.

In particular, the first lot in the 1935-1950/2125-2140 MHz range was won by Vodafone-Ukraine in a fight with Kyivstar for UAH 458.3 million. The second lot in the same range was won by lifecell for UAH 463 million with bids from Kyivstar and Vodafone-Ukraine, and the third (without Kyiv) for UAH 448.5 million was won by Kyivstar with bids from all three operators.

The fourth lot in the 2355-2395 MHz range will be received by Kyivstar for UAH 994.8 million, which competed with Vodafone-Ukraine.

Finally, Kyivstar and Vodafone-Ukraine submitted bids for the fifth lot in 2575-2610 MHz, but due to antitrust restrictions, Vodafone-Ukraine was declared the winner with a price of UAH 530.1 million.

"We started preparing these frequencies back in 2021, but the war became an obstacle. In 2022, these frequencies were provided on a temporary use basis because the frequencies were "cracking". And finally, here we are," said Oleksandr Zhyvotovsky, head of the National Commission for the State Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radio Frequency Spectrum and the Provision of Postal Services, opening the auction.