Dutch cable operators Ziggo and UPC have pulled out of the LTE spectrum auction because the price was getting too high.
The two cablers formed a joint venture to bid for one of the four LTE licences in the 800 MHz spectrum range earmarked for high-speed data traffic.
KPN, Vodafone, T-Mobile and Tele 2 each secured a licence. Total revenue for the four lots is €3.8 billion with newcomer Tele 2 paying €160 million for its licence.
Ziggo and UPC said in a joint statement that the price was getting too high for them to make a profitable business.
They also said the current Wi-Fi hit spot roll-out (from Ziggo), the existing MVNO agreements and the 2.6 GHz licence owned by the JV should provide enough opportunities to offer wireless broadband services to its customers.