UMTS licenses signed for GSM operators, Netia protests

Telecom Minister Tomasz Szyszko signed UMTS mobile telecom licenses for Poland's three GSM operators: Centertel, Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa (PTC) and Polkomtel, each of whom will pay euro 650 million for their licenses. "I'm glad that despite the lower than expected demand for UMTS licenses in Europe, Poland managed to solve this problem," said Szyszko. He added that total budget revenues from the UMTS fees would reach euro 2.6 billion, including euro 1.96 billion from the three GSM operators and an expected euro 650 million from the fourth licensee, to be chosen in 2002. However, Poland's second largest telecom operator Netia is demanding that the Ministry grant it a license now, on the same terms as for the other three operators. The latter had been awarded licenses after an insufficient number of bids were submitted in the UMTS auction and the Ministry canceled it. Netia claims that it therefore had no chance to win a license and the Ministry should either issue no licenses and open a new auction or allow it to acquire a license on the same terms as GSM operators. Netia spokeswoman Jolanta Ciesielska said that in case of a negative decision from the Ministry, the company would file a protest with the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA). "We will reply to Netia's motion, but I can already say that everything we did was in accordance with the law, so there is no point in filing any protests," said Szyszko. Sources claim that another company, which bought UMTS auction documents on behalf of Spanish Telefonica may also place the similar motion. (Puls Biznesu, pp.1, 3) M.M.