Slovak Republic Awards Two 3G Licenses

The Telecommunications Office of the Slovak Republic has issued two of the three available 3G licenses to the two incumbent networks, Orange and Eurotel ( a joint venture between Slovenske Telekomunikacie, Verizon Communications and AT&T Wireless). The 3G licences will be valid for 20 years and cost US$33.86 million each.

The regulator says that it is still in discussions with the only bidder for the third available 3G license, a local internet service provider, profinet.sk. The third license also includes spectrum in the GSM bands as well. The license costs slightly more, at US$34.3 million and is also for 20 years.

The government was planning to hold a beauty contest, but the lack of available bidders has resulted in this becoming a simple license awards procedure.'"

Posted to the site on 2nd July 2002