UMTS GSM documentation bought by 18 companies

Eighteen companies have purchased documentation for the UMTS third-generation telephone tender. Documentation was bought by the three current domestic GSM operators, as well as three other Polish companies, Netia, Futuro.com, and 3G. The remaining purchasers were 7bulls.com, Spanish Telefonika with Finnish Sonera, Turkcell, Rumelli, the Canadian operator TIW, HSBC operating on behalf of Hutchison Whampoa, Telecom Italia Mobile, as well as five undisclosed law firms. "Domestic GSM operators have not bought the documentation directly, and it is unknown on whose behalf the law firms bought it," said a representative of the Telecom Ministry. According to the new telecommunications bill which will come into effect Jan. 1 2001, new companies will be allowed to use networks belonging to the current GSM operators, Polkomtel, Centertel and PTC, even if they do not enter the tender. "In the GSM concession there was a clause which prohibited inner roaming, but we have the right to adjust it," said Jan Luczak, an adviser to the Minister. "If the concession remains unchanged, then there is no way to force domestic operators to share their networks," said Robert Niczewski of PTC. "I estimate that six to eight companies will be fighting for the concession," said telecom minister Tomasz Szyszko. According to the Telecom Ministry the whole tender procedure should be finished by the end of the year. (Parkiet, Oct. 14-16, p.3, Prawo i Gospodarka, Oct. 14-15, pp 1,3,4)