Qualcomm and Teleepoch
Enter Into a 3G CDMA Subscriber Unit License Agreement, October
6, 2007
MTN chooses Cambridge Broadband
Networks for multi-service wireless network in Rwanda, October 6,
2007
Brazilian government to
publish 3G bidding rules soon, October 6, 2007
KTF 3G service suffers
from technical problems, October 6, 2007
Argentina’s Personal
lunches 3G service in Rosario, October 6, 2007
Russia has it's first 3G
network, October 6, 2007
AT&T could drop Alcatel-Lucent
as 3G mobile network supplier, October 6, 2007
Enea Extends License Agreement
with ZTE for 3G Handsets, October 2, 2007
LG to unveil premium handsets
in Brazil, October 2, 2007
KTF 3G subscribers doubled
in less than 3 months, October 2, 2007
3G policy in India will
be non-uniform, October 2, 2007
- previous news
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Commission approves 3rd Generation mobile network sharing in Germany
July 16, 2003
The Commission today took a favourable decision on 3G mobile network
sharing. This decision confirms that site sharing in itself does not raise
competition concerns. The investigation has also confirmed that national
roaming between licensed network operators benefits consumers by allowing
the operators involved to offer better and quicker 3G coverage. This is
especially true for less built-up and rural areas of Germany. Roaming
by O2 Germany's customers on T-Mobile's network can also be exempted from
the competition rules with respect to urban areas however for a more limited
period. Roaming will enable the smallest operator on the German market
- O2 Germany - to launch earlier and better 3G services. The exemption
for rural area roaming will end on 31 December 2008. In urban areas, the
exemption will start to be phased out earlier across specific cities and
regions comprising around 50% of the German population in accordance with
a strict timetable.
T-Mobile and mmO2 entered into agreements to share 3G site infrastructure
('site sharing') and to roam on their 3G networks in the UK and Germany.
In February 2002, the parties asked the Commission for clearance or, alternatively,
an exemption of their agreements under the antitrust rules. The Commission
has already adopted a favourable decision in relation to the UK Agreement
of the two parties on 30 April 2003.
The Commission's investigation has revealed that the German agreement
on site sharing does not restrict competition. Site sharing between the
companies does not restrict competition because the agreement is restricted
to sharing basic network infrastructure such as masts, power supply, racking
and cooling. It is also widely promoted for environmental and health reasons
as a matter of public policy at national and EU level.
The agreement on national roaming is exempted from the competition rules.
National roaming between the network providers does on the one hand limit
network-based competition with respect to coverage, retail prices, quality
and transmission speeds, but, on the other hand it also promotes market
entry which leads to better and quicker 3G service coverage.
Roaming in urban areas is limited to O2 Germany's customers and it can
be exempted during a short start-up period until it has set up its own
network. Roaming will help the O2 Germany to launch better and earlier
3G services.
However, as the roll out of capacity in urban areas will be undertaken
at a faster pace, the roaming exemption will be phased out in steps across
specific cities and regions covering about 50% of the population in accordance
with a strict timetable ending altogether on 31 December 2008.
In rural areas, the exemption will also come to an end on 31 December
2008. Roaming in rural areas will allow in particular O2 Germany, the
smallest operator on the German market for mobile telephony, to compete
as a nationwide 3G operator.
3G roaming in this instance will benefit consumers by increasing choice
and strengthening retail competition on the German mobile telephony market.
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3G Motorola A920
