Two of Kosovo's mobile operators have been granted 5G licenses.

Regulatory Authority for Post and Electronic Communications (Autoriteti Rregullator i Komunikimeve Elektronike dhe Postare, ARKEP) has awarded IPKO and Telecom Kosovo the licenses.

The regulator published the decision on February 15, reported Comms Update, with the announcement a boost for Kosovo, where 5G is yet to launch.

Telecom Kosovo has been awarded a 2×10MHz block in the 800MHz band (811MHz-821MHz/852MHz-862MHz) alongside a 1×100MHz block in the 3.6GHz band (3,510MHz-3,610MHz).

IPKO has picked up spectrum in the 2×10MHz in the 800MHz band, (791MHz-801MHz/832MHz-842MHz) plus a 1×100MHz block of the spectrum at 3,410MHz-3,510MHz. Both licenses are valid for 20 years and are technology-neutral.

According to the regulator, an additional 90MHz block of 5G spectrum in the 3,710MHz-3,800MHz range has been awarded to the NGN Institute, with the goal of supporting the deployment of local private 5G networks.

IPKO revealed it completed 5G testing in July of last year, where it was able to achieve speeds of more than 1.2Gbps. However, the operator didn't disclose the vendor it worked with.

Telekom Kosovo signed a deal with Ericsson Nikola Tesla, a Croatian subsidiary of Ericsson, to modernize the operator's mobile network, including 5G broadband, noted Broadband TV News in December of last year.