Spanish 3G License Conditions May Be Illegal

The Spanish newspaper, Cinco Dias has reported that the European Commission has questioned the validity of some of the conditions imposed by the Spanish government when it awarded four UMTS licences in March 2002.

According to the newspaper, which cited the Enterprise and Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen said that the Commission is calling for the government to eliminate the requirements imposed on the UMTS operators relating to job creation and a US$3.5 billion investment in R&D and technology support.

The paper said the Commission has also requested that the government cancel the UMTS rollout guarantees imposed on the operators by the terms of their license."

Posted to the site on 9th February 2004