Poland will allow regulators to set a deadline on the country’s long-running 4G auction, which could see the process finally end next month.

The auction, which began back in February, could previously only be stopped once bidding ceased, with the country’s four operators battling aggressively for spectrum.

However, as prices continued to hike up, the country’s watchdog UKE expressed concerns, leading to a government proposal to stop the process after 115 days.

According to Reuters, bids have already totalled PLN7.5 billion ($2 billion), five times more than first expected.

Andrzej Halicki, head of the ministry of administration and digitisation, told Reuters “the end would be possible in the first 10 days of October”.

“It’s in the interest of Poles to distribute the frequencies ,” he added.

A premature end to the process has however been met with staunch opposition from the country’s operators’, with number four player Play (P4) suggesting a deadline to the proceedings could see it hit with “tangible damages” of up to $500 million, adding it could pursue legal action if the plans went ahead.

Polkomtel’s Plus also said a change in rules goes against regulations determining auction terms as well as other laws.

Both operators already have access to some 4G frequencies in the market, giving them a head start on rivals Orange and Deutsche Telekom.

UKE head Magdalena Gaj has previously questioned whether the “market is serious about buying these frequencies, after 400 rounds of bidding”.