The Czech Republic’s communications regulator announced seven companies applied to take part in the country’s 5G spectrum auction, which will progress as planned after legal bids to hold the sale were dismissed.

Czech Telecommunication Office (CTO) said terms of the auction prevented it from naming the parties which had submitted applications.

The country is keen to attract a fourth mobile operator to increase competition to local units of T-Mobile, Vodafone and O2, with the ultimate aim of reducing data prices for consumers.

An auction for allocations in the 700MHz and 3400MHz to 3600MHz bands has been delayed several times over the last two years, originally due to a request by the European Commission based on its objections to a network sharing deal in the country.

Following the release of the auction terms in August, Reuters reported all three of the country’s operators filed legal action against some of the CTO’s conditions.

However, in its statement announcing the bidders the CTO noted “measures filed with the court in order to stop the selection process have already been rejected”.

The date for the start of the auction is yet to be publicly disclosed.