Five bids in the final furlong for new mobile frequencies

The final five bidders are: PTC, Polkomtel, PTK Centertel, Kiana Investments and Netia. Netia is competing the tender through its subsidiary, Netia Mobile, and in consortium with Novator Telecom Poland, which is controlled by an Icelandic businessman, Thor Bjorgolfsson. Little is known about Kiana Investments apart from the fact that its current sphere of operations includes Greece among others. Speculation suggests that because the company's main investor is Germanos, a mobile equipment dealer, it is in a position to create its own mobile network. It is also possible that Kiana Investments is acting on behalf of a large capital group Hutchinson Whampoa, the owner of several UMTS networks across Europe. URTiP has until 9 May to choose the winning offer and grant new frequencies. The deciding factor will be the price, but concessions will also be made for new companies. (Parkiet, p. 1) D.W.