Telekom Austria’s Macedonian subsidiary, Vip Operator, was the first of its peers to confirm the award of one of three LTE frequency blocks on Thursday.

The company said it spent €10.3m on a 20 year licence for two swathes of frequency within the 800MHz and 1800MHz bands, which it will use to deliver LTE.

According to licence requirements set out by the Macedonian Agency for Electronic Communications, licensees should offer mobile service to 20 per cent of the two million plus population within two years, rising to 40 per cent in four years and 70 per cent in six.

Although it’s unconfirmed, Macedonian operators T-Mobile and ONE were the only other firms to submit bids, for the three licences, so they should also have received the spectrum allowance.