Controversies surrounding the MUX5 operator competition. UOKiK explains and points to UKE

In mid-October, the Office of Electronic Communications announced the results of the frequency reservation competition for the new digital terrestrial television multiplex, MUX-5. Emitel scored the maximum points, while MWE Teleport and BCast expressed intentions to contest the results. UKE stated that the assessment of competitiveness was influenced by the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK), which rated all participants neutrally. UOKiK explained that Emitel's infrastructure gives it a monopolistic position, making it the only operator capable of launching a national multiplex independently. This situation raises costs for competitors who would rely on Emitel's infrastructure. Despite being a small player in frequency reservations, Emitel dominates the infrastructure market, covering 98% of households in Poland.