PRESS RELEASE: DAB+ radio frequencies auction successfully completed

Prague, 5 January 2024 – The electronic auction for granting of the rights to use radio frequencies in the 174–230 MHz band was completed. The auctioned frequency blocks were allocated among 8 auction participants.

In the afternoon of the 4 January, CTU successfully completed the auction procedure for the individual auction blocks offered for the development of commercial nationwide (blocks B and C) and regional (blocks R1 – R27) networks for terrestrial digital radio broadcasting (DAB) with the following results:

Broadcast Services s.r.o.: Auction block R2, R9, R17, R22, R26;

Czech Digital Group, a.s.: Auction block B, R4, R15, R23;

Fiera touch s.r.o.: Auction block R3, R13, R20, R25;

GG OMIKRON s.r.o.: Auction block R16, R18, R19;

JOE Media s.r.o.: Auction block R12, R14, R24, R27;

PLAY.CZ a.s.: Auction block R1, R5, R8, R10, R11, R21;

RTI cz s.r.o.: Auction block C;

TELEKO digital, a.s.: Auction block R6, R7.

The total auction price for all Auction blocks was CZK 79.325.000.

"I am glad that we managed to complete the auction successfully, having satisfied all the auction participants and managed to allocate all the offered blocks. Nothing stands in the way of the further development of terrestrial digital radio broadcasting", stated Marek Ebert, CTU Council Chairman.

The development criteria set within the tender procedure should ensure not only a successful development of DAB broadcasting but also efficient use of allocated radio frequencies. The nationwide networks shall cover 50% of the population and motorways within 18 months and 80% of the population and motorways in another 12 months. Regional broadcasting shall cover 40% of the population of the relevant region within 24 months and 70% of the population of the region in another 24 months.

The advantages of digital radio broadcasting include in particular the possibility of extending the offer of programmes distributed nationwide. These include the possibility of better sound quality or various additional multimedia functions and applications for which the recipient does not need the Internet. DAB should enable significantly better quality and availability of reception on the move, i.e. especially in cars. It has been mandatory for several years now for all new cars sold to include a DAB receiver.

CTU published the information about the completion of the auction and its results here.

Press Unit
Czech Telecommunication Office
Tereza Meravá