Last week telecoms watchdog Urzad Regulacji Telekomunikacji i Poczty (URTiP) granted a further eight permits and has several more awaiting its attention. Several hundred operators could theoretically set themselves up in business.
Despite this the market is unlikely to change much. The position of TPSA remains unchallenged and it is not even likely to consider offering better prices.
It is not up to the telecoms watchdog to check if the new players have the funds to run a successful business. It only needs to collect the cash E EUR2,500 for the concession fee. This is a little less than operators such as Netia had to pay. On 30 June Netia will have to find a further EUR93m for the next installment of its EUR400m concession fees granted before a change in law which virtually eliminated them.