Telecom Min. to release UMTS license conditions today

Today the Telecommunications Ministry will reveal the conditions and price at which the UMTS third-generation mobile telecom licenses will be issued. Parkiet daily says the starting price for negotiations will be euro 350 million, while Reuters reports bidders in the tender must pay at least euro 700 million-euro 800 million. Meanwhile, the presidents of major contenders believe the fee should be much lower. The head of Netia Telekom and three mobile telecom firms: PTK Centertel, Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa (PTC) and Polkomtel, all said the price should be around euro 100 million - roughly the same as the GSM licenses issued a few years ago. The executives at mobile phone firms say the payment of the fee should be made in installments over the entire duration of the license. However, the Finance Ministry has already planned to net zl. 7 billion from the UMTS licenses each in 2001 and 2002. (Puls Biznesu, page 7)