Montenegro’s Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services (Ekip) has awarded radio frequency resources in the 700 MHz and 3.6 GHz bands to operators Crnogorski Telekom, M:tel and One Montenegro for the rollout of 5G mobile networks. All allocations are valid for 15 years.

In detail, Crnogorski Telekom won 2×100 MHz in the 700 MHz band and 140 MHz in the 3.6 GHz band; M:tel received 2×10 MHz in the 700 MHz band and 120 MHz in the 3.6 GHz band; and One was allocated 2×10 MHz in the 700 MHz band and 120 MHz in the 3.6 GHz band.

The unpaired part of the 700 MHz and the 26 GHz band remained unallocated, due to a lack of interest from the operators.

Montenegro earned EUR 8.84 million from the spectrum auction, of which Crnogorski Telekom will pay EUR 3.1 million, One Montenegro EUR 2.9 million and m:tel EUR 2.7 million.

Each operator must cover at least 98 percent of the population with data speeds of 10 Mbps or more, and at least 75 percent with speeds of 30 Mbps or more by the end of 2026, which will rise to 100 Mbps by the end of 2030. By the end of 2024, the 5G network must be available in every municipality, and by the end of 2026, at least 50 percent of the total population will be covered by 5G. By the end of 2030, all populated places, highways and main roads must have 5G coverage.

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