Estonia to Offer Four 3G Licenses

The Estonian National Communications Board has informed Radiolinja Eesti, EMT and Tele2 Eesti, of the decision to invite them to submit an application for technical permit of 3G mobile network or UMTS permits in the manner of open tender as prescribed by the Telecommunications Act.

A couple of weeks ago, the Director General of Estonian National Communications Board issued a directive that allowed the three GSM operators to bid for the 3G licenses, as they had been in operation for over two years - a key condition of the 3G permits.

The reserve price for the licenses will be US$5.15 million; in addition the operator of mobile network must pay state fees for the permit of installation of radio transmitting equipment, for the activity license, of operating the telecommunications network and for registration of telecommunications service performance.

The open tender and its conditions will be proclaimed in Official Notes.

The Estonian National Communications Board will issue four UMTS permits. The process will be held in two stages, the first of which will be an open tender for companies that have been operating GSM-network for at least two years, and the second stage will be a public competition for the fourth permit and permit which weren't issued on open tender."

Posted to the site on 14th May 2003