Third Slovak mobile firm wins GSM, UMTS licences
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Friday July 12, 6:44 AM EDT
BRATISLAVA, July 12 (Reuters) - Telecoms firm Profinet.sk became Slovakia's third mobile phone provider on Friday after it won a licensing tender for the right to provide GSM and UMTS services, Slovak officials said.
The only bidder in the tender for a package of the third generation UMTS and traditional mobile phone licences, Profinet.sk is obliged to pay 1.5 billion crowns for the deal, Slovakia's telecommunications office said in a statement.
As the only bidder, it had been expected to win the tender. The firm was not immediately available for comment.
Profinet.sk joins current GSM licence holders Orange and Eurotel.
Orange is a unit of France Telecom (FTE), while Eurotel is a joint venture of Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn) controlled fixed line operator Slovenske Telekomunikacie and U.S. Verizon Communications (VZ) and AT&T Wireless Services Inc (AWE)
In the tender, both Orange and Eurotel also won licences to offer third-generation UMTS services, which will allow fast wireless internet access and enable the transmission of large quantities of data at high speeds.
Under the licence agreement, Profinet.sk must launch GSM services within six months of the activation of its licence and UMTS services no later than 30 months after it has access to the third generation frequencies.
Profinet is also required to build a mobile network covering 20 percent of the population through the public telecommunications network within 18 months of the licence entering into effect.
The UMTS licences will be valid for 20 years.
The telecoms office statement did not specify exactly when it would finalise the licence with Profinet.sk.
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