3G Launch in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's M-Tel has announced the technical launch of its UMTS network, with commercial services due within a few months. The company has already launched an EDGE upgrade to its GSM network.

Josef Vinatzer, CEO of Mobiltel: "We have a license for UMTS for twenty years. For us it means twenty years commitment to our clients that they will be able to choose as the first ones for the best services mobile communications can offer. Mobiltel builds upon the experience of mobilkom austria. This member of the mobilkom austria group was the first operator in Europe to launch UMTS services in September 2002. The UMTS technology works already very well in a major part of Sofia. There is no doubt in my mind that in the near future services based on the fast UMTS technology, like very fast broad band internet access, will be an accepted and appreciated mobile service."

Mobiltel has more than 62% market share and serves more than 3.3 million subscribers. Today the Company is the only Bulgarian mobile operator, supporting EDGE. In 2005 the operator won the only UMTS A Class license tender in Bulgaria for a 20-year term. In July 2005 Mobiltel joined the mobilkom austria group."

Posted to the site on 16th September 2005