T-Mobile is Poland's third largest mobile phone network operator. The company is formally known as Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa (PTC), meaning "Polish Digital Telephony", and formerly operated under the name Era until rebranded as T-Mobile on June 5, 2011. As in other European countries, the company operates a GSM network. Following a decade-long ownership dispute with the French Vivendi concern, the company has been wholly owned by the German telecommunications firm Deutsche Telekom since 2010.[1]
At the end of 2004, Era had over 8.6 million customers and was the largest mobile phone network operator in Central Europe, and by the end of June 2011 it had 13.2 million subscribers, placing it third in the market with 30% market share.[2] Era was one of Poland's most recognizable domestic brand names, partly because the company pursued an aggressive advertising campaign that made Era billboards, sponsored events, and other commercials ubiquitous in Poland. The company's prepaid mobile phone service is called Tak Tak (Yes Yes), and the name has remained under T-Mobile branding. PTC also operates a second prepaid brand, Heyah, aimed primarily at the youth market, which makes no reference to either T-Mobile or Era in its branding.
Towards the end of 2005, Era became the first mobile phone operator in Poland (and eighth in Europe) to have 10 million customers. The 10,000,000th client signing was celebrated with a concert by Van Morrison in Warsaw.