Croatia plans three UMTS licenses in 2001

date: 15th February 2001, source by: Total Telecom

Croatia plans to sell three UMTS licences by the end of the year, government officials said on Thursday.

"The third GSM will go before the summer and the UMTS is planned five months after that," said Ante Dodig, assistant to transport and telecommunications minister.

The government has pencilled no revenue from new UMTS licences in this year's budget.

"Our plan is to distribute three UMTS licences, while the government will keep the fourth one for a year or two perhaps until we see where the UMTS is heading globally," Dodig told Reuters.

Drasko Marin, new head of the state telecommunications bureau, which will be responsivle for the tenders, said the UMTS licensing will have an element of a "beauty contest", with applicants expected to meet some minimum requirements.

Price will be determined by auction, with a minimum set by the authorities, he said.

Croatia has two mobile operators, Vipnet, owned by Austria's Mobilkom and state-owned Cronet, part of the telephone monopoly Hrvatski Telekom, in which Deutsche Telekom has 35 percent and is likely to gain majority later this year.

Two local firms - electrical concern Koncar and state electricity board HEP - as well as Canada's Telesystem International Wireless Inc. have all expressed interest in the UMTS licence.

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