Mobile operators push to delay UMTS

By : Roseanne Gerin

   Poland’s three mobile operators said last week that the introduction of third-generation mobile services in Poland should be delayed a year, but they refused to confirm an earlier news report that their respective presidents asked the country’s telecommunications watchdog agency for an official postponement.

   A local business daily reported last Wednesday that the presidents of Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa (PTC) (http://www.eragsm.pl), Polkomtel (http://www.plusgsm.pl) and PTK Centertel (http://www.centertel.pl) met with Marek Zdrojewski, the head of the Telecommunications Regulatory Office (URT), and requested a year’s delay for launching the universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) services.

   Although none of the mobile operators would confirm that their presidents asked for a postponement, they all said that the introduction of UMTS service should be pushed back a year in Poland due to the lack of third-generation technical infrastructure from telecom-equipment producers. According to the terms of the mobile operators’ UMTS licenses, they must begin offering service between Jan. 1, 2003 and Jan. 1, 2004. A one-year delay would push the start date to the beginning of 2004.

   Anna Wołek, PTC’s spokeswoman, confirmed an informal meeting took place, but said she did not know what was discussed.

   However, Wołek added that it was “very likely” a delay might occur in Poland since “the issue is the problem with the (UMTS) infrastructure in Poland and all countries in Europe and even Japan.”

   The other two mobile companies agreed. Leszek Kamiński, Polkomtel’s spokesman, said he could not confirm the meeting, but added, “in general we believe UMTS should be delayed by about one year because of technical reasons.”

   During a recent telecom fair in Bydgoszcz, Zdrojewski indicated he shared the same view, Kamiński said.

   The URT has not made an official announcement about a possible extension for Poland’s UMTS launch. No one at the URT was available for comment last Friday. Ewa Chruscielewska, who works in the URT’s press office, said she wasn’t aware of the meeting.

   Jacek Kalinowski, PTK Centertel’s spokesman, would not confirm the meeting, but said: “The producers of terminals for GPRS (general packet radio service) and 3G (service) have nothing special to offer, and in our opinion (the debut of) UMTS in the world maybe a few months or one year late. He said PTK could not see the introduction of UMTS service until 2003.”