Play, officially known as P4 Sp. z o.o., was founded in 2007 as Poland’s fourth mobile network operator. It is a subsidiary of Play Communications S.A., which is part of the French Iliad Group. Over the years, Play has established itself as a leading telecommunications provider in Poland, offering a wide range of mobile services. As of the second quarter of 2022, Play had over 15 million subscribers, representing a 34% market share in Poland. The company has consistently focused on expanding its network coverage and enhancing its service offerings, particularly in the areas of 4G and 5G technologies.
Country
Poland
Type
Mobile Network Operator
Ownership
Iliad Group
Play logo

3G Network

Play launched its 3G network in Poland shortly after its inception in 2007. The network utilised the UMTS 2100 MHz band, which was a standard frequency for 3G services at the time. Over the years, Play expanded its 3G coverage to ensure widespread availability across Poland with the use of U900 in January 2011. However, with the advent of more advanced technologies such as 4G LTE and 5G, the reliance on 3G networks diminished significantly. As of 2023, Play, like many other operators, had begun phasing out its 3G services to reallocate spectrum for more efficient LTE and 5G networks. The complete shutdown of 3G services was planned to be finalised by the end of 2025.

Network Frequency Band Status
B1 (2100 MHz)
Active
B8 (900 MHz)
Active
Date Event Subtype
Launch of 3G Network
Launch

4G Network

In October 2015, Play solidified its presence in the Polish market by acquiring 4G spectrum at the 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz frequency bands. This acquisition was part of a 400 million euro investment aimed at boosting the company’s competitiveness and offering advanced mobile broadband services with extensive coverage. Play commercially launched its LTE1800 service in November 2013, initially covering 13 cities. By 2016, Play had introduced additional spectrum bands, including Band 7 and Band 20, enhancing its LTE-Advanced capabilities. The network was branded as "LTE Ultra," offering downlink speeds of up to 262 Mbps. As of 2023, Play's 4G network provided robust coverage across Poland, supporting a wide range of mobile services.

4G Frequency Bands
Network Frequency Band Max. Channel Bandwidth Status Known EARFCNs
B1 (2100 MHz)
15
Active
B3 (1800 MHz)
10
Active
1474
B7 (2600 MHz)
20
Active
3350
B20 (800 MHz)
5
Active
6275
Date Event Subtype
Launch of 4G Network
Launch

5G Network

In January 2020, Play announced plans to roll out a 5G network in the northern city of Gdynia, marking the opening of the first 5G city in Poland. The company utilised equipment from Huawei for its 5G deployment, despite controversies surrounding the use of Chinese telecom equipment. By August 2023, Play had increased its stake in SferaNet, a fiber optic operator, to 86.5%, further strengthening its infrastructure for 5G services. Play's 5G network covered over 50% of the Polish population by May 2023, with average download speeds of 21.9 Mbps. The network was supported by spectrum in the 3500-3600 MHz C Band, which Play obtained in October 2023 with a Jan 2024 launch. Although commercial 5G services were still being expanded, Play had conducted extensive trials and tests to ensure readiness for full-scale deployment.

Network Frequency Band Max. Channel Bandwidth Status
n1 (2100 MHz)
15
Active
n78 (3500 MHz)
100
Active
Date Event Subtype
Launch of 5G Network
Launch