The Austrian regulatory authority TKK has completed the auction of LTE frequencies in the 2.6 GHz band, raising EUR 39.5. The auction generated far higher revenues than the overall minimum bid amount of EUR 7.4 million.  

A1 Telekom Austria acquired 2x20 MHz in the paired band and 25 MHz in the unpaired band, while Hutchison 3G Austria GmbH received 2x20 MHz in the paired band and 25 MHz in the unpaired band. Orange Austria Telecommunication GmbH acquired 2x10 MHz in the paired band, and T-Mobile Austria GmbH was assigned 2x20 MHz, likewise in the paired band.

"We have been intensively testing LTE for a few years and based on our extensive expertise and year-long experience we will be able to start the commercial launch of this cutting-edge technology immediately after the grant of the license. Our base stations meet all technical prerequisites for the start, thus we will be the first mobile provider to start LTE in Austria," said Hannes Ametsreiter, CEO Telekom Austria Group.

A1 Telekom Austria plans to launch a new tariff “A1 Broadband LTE” in Q4 2010, a download volume of 30 GB and will be marketed at a price of EUR 90 per month.