(Telecompaper) Czech regulator CTU announced that it received five applications for the LTE spectrum auction. The deadline for submission was 30 September. Besides the three mobile operators Telefonica Czech Republic, T-Mobile Czech Republic and Vodafone Czech Republic, the companies Revolution Mobile and Tasciane applied to bid in the auction. The auction will start on 11 November. CTU said this confirms its aim to attract new players to the market. The auction reserves one block of 2x10 MHz in the 800 MHz band and one block of 2x15.8 MHz in the 1800 MHz band for a new entrant. This provision has been deemed discriminatory by Telefonica, which earlier filed a lawsuit against CTU at the Metropolitan Court in Prague. The court case, however, does not affect Telefonica's participation in the auction. One of the potential auction participants was the private equity fund PPF (via PPF Mobile Services), but it said it decided not to participate as the auction conditions prevent any mergers with another licenceholder for the 15-year term of the spectrum licences.