Telfort Fined for Missing 3G License Obligations

Dutch mobile network, Telfort has been fined EUR5 million for failing to meet its 3G license conditions. In a statement from the Dutch Telecom Agency, it was said that the operator had under-utilised its 3G radio spectrum.

The regulator has threatened to impose further fines if the network operator does not improve coverage within the next three months. If the operator continues to fail to use its allocated radio spectrum, the regulator has the power to confiscate some of the capacity and resell it to the other operators.

Telfort was formed in 1997 as a joint venture between BT and the Dutch Railways. In 2000, BT acquired the company - but its O2 division sold the company to Greenfield Capital Partners in 2003. It then reverted to the Telfort name. In July 2005 Telfort was sold to KPN.

Following the purchase, KPN delayed the two networks 3G networks to study how it could cut costs by integrating their networks. Telfort's network was supplied by Huawei, while KPN had contracted with Ericsson for its network.

Last year, KPN sold the Telfort tower network to Dutch tower operator, Novec for an undisclosed sum.

Posted to the site on 27th May 2009