O2 Czech Republic is launching its commercial 5G network next month, becoming the first operator in the market to achieve this milestone.

Romanian regulator ANCOM (National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications) has begun a public consultation after its own review identified no issues requiring new regulation for the wholesale fixed market.

Orange’s Slovakian unit is increasing its 5G spectrum holding while also discussing a potential network-sharing arrangement with Slovak Telecom.

Estonia’s Telia Eesti is planning an investment of €10 million (US$11.3 million) into its mobile networks for 2020.

Orange Polska plans to introduce 5G mobile services on 1st July.

Estonia is planning to revive its cancelled 5G spectrum auctions by making a fourth licence available.

As we have noted before, despite delays to rollout or spectrum auctions in some countries due to measures to control the coronavirus, other countries are going ahead with 5G plans, virus or no virus.

Slovenia’s regulator has confirmed that it will open a consultation on the country’s delayed auction of new spectrum frequencies.

Belarusian market leader A1 together with ZTE has launched a standalone (SA) test 5G network across the country.

Poland is still optimistic that 5G spectrum will be sold at auction this year even though it has delayed the sale of 3.4GHz-3.8GHz licences.

Polkomtel, a leading telecommunications operator in Poland, which provides services under the Plus brand, has announced the launch of the country’s first commercial 5G network.

A flurry of recent announcements from Poland, Vietnam, South Africa and Thailand underlines the continuing growth of data centres and cloud services in diverse locations around the world.

It's take two for Poland’s 5G spectrum auction, which is now due to relaunch, although there are no firm dates for the rescheduled process yet.

Montenegro is likely to see 5G launches by the end of 2022, with the regulator looking to outline a roadmap this year.

While many development plans are at a standstill around the world, some telecommunications initiatives are still being unveiled. Hungary, for example, has invited proposals for the funding of its latest superfast internet rollout initiative.

A lengthening list of countries putting off the auction of 5G spectrum just got longer as Poland announced plans to delay the process.

The Slovakian regulator – the Office for Regulation of Electronic Communications and Postal Services (also known as Regulacny Urad or RU) – has announced that it will be going ahead with an auction of 5G-capable spectrum.

Magyar Telekom, Hungary’s biggest telecommunications company, and Ericsson have launched commercial 5G in Hungary.

Croatia’s Optima Telekom is delaying a stake sale originally scheduled for this year, even if it is able to find a buyer.

United Group has been cleared by the European Commission to acquire Bulgarian operator Vivacom.

Kiev’s District Administrative Court has suspended the decision to cancel the licence of CDMA operator Intertelecom.

Slovakia’s regulatory office has opened applications for its upcoming auction of 5G-ready spectrum, including frequencies in the 700MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz bands.

UPC Romania is no longer the name of one of Romania’s leading cable companies.

Ukraine’s market leader Kyivstar will begin rolling out LTE-900 upgrades from April, after being issued a licence for the technology earlier this month.

MTS is continuing its cooperation with Ericsson as it looks to modernise its network infrastructure in preparation for the advent of 5G.

With their 3G licences set to expire on 31st March, the government of Romania has made a last minute decision to allow the local units of Orange and Vodafone to extend them.

Having deactivated all of the network equipment that it operated outside of Kiev, Ukrtelecom’s mobile unit TriMob is now auctioning its disused infrastructure.

Russia’s Rostelecom is acquiring the 55% stake in Tele2 Russia that it did not already hold, meaning that it now holds 100% of shares in the unit.

Ukrtelecom will deploy a rural GPON fibre optic network via a new agreement with Iskratel and SID Bank of Slovenia.

Russia’s spectrum authority has granted MegaFon and Rostelecom access to 5G-capable spectrum in order to conduct joint trials of the technology.

Ukraine’s regulator has issued the country’s three major players with 900MHz licences.