In the race for dominance in the Polish telecoms market, Orange Polska is betting on a two-pronged strategy that combines aggressive expansion of 5G infrastructure with precise targeting of budget segments. The latest operational data provided by the company’s spokesman, Wojciech Jabczyński, paints a picture of an operator that is trying to discount the technological breakthrough faster than the competition.
A key argument in the battle for customers’ wallets is C-band, or so-called ‘true 5G’. The current base of around 4,500 stations is set to grow to at least 5,600 before the end of 2026. In parallel, Orange is doubling its resources in the 700 MHz band with plans to increase the number of stations from 1,300 to 2,600. This infrastructural duality makes good business sense: C-band guarantees record-breaking throughputs in dense urban areas, while 700 MHz provides the necessary area coverage, laying the foundation for future IoT and Industry 4.0 solutions.
The investment in hardware is directly reflected in the number portability (MNP) statistics. Orange closed the first quarter of 2026 with a positive balance of 17,000 numbers. This pace suggests a significant acceleration relative to the whole of 2025, in which the operator gained a net 27,000 users. However, this success is not solely due to the technology itself, but to the skilful use of sub-brands.
Orange Polska’s management has diagnosed that the market is becoming increasingly polarised. While the core brand is attracting corporate customers and premium users in need of C-band stability, brands such as nju mobile and Orange Flex are effectively capturing a younger, more price-sensitive digital electorate. The key question for investors and business partners will be whether such rapid growth in the customer base in the low-margin segments will put too much of a strain on profitability while at the same time investing heavily in network upgrades.
In the context of the company’s presence in the WIG20 index, the determination to expand the 700 MHz band indicates a long-term preparation for dominance in the convergent services segment. If Orange maintains the current pace of station construction, it could enter 2027 with a technological advantage that will be difficult to offset with traditional marketing campaigns.
