Telekom-Control: Launch of the tender for the fourth mobile telecommunications license

Tender documentation now available - Two-month deadline - Subsequent auction in several rounds

Press release dated 21 December 1998

Since today, Monday, 21 December, 10.00 am the tender documentation for the fourth Austrian-wide mobile telecommunications license in the DCS 1800 frequency band can be obtained from Telekom-Control (for an expense reimbursement of ATS 25,000).

From the start of the invitation to tender until 24 February 1999, interested parties may submit their applications and first bids. After reviewing, Telekom-Control-Kommission will invite the eligible applicants to participate in the actual awarding procedure, i.e. an auction that will probably comprise several rounds. The auction procedure, organised by Telekom-Control-Kommission, the Austrian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, will end no later than
31 July 1999. "It is, however, the objective of Telekom-Control-Kommission to award the license as soon as possible so that the fourth mobile operator can start business immediately," stakes Prof. Heinrich Otruba, Managing Director of Telekom-Control GmbH. He assumes that the auction will be concluded after Easter.

The regional licenses (not covering all of Austria) will be awarded at a later date. They will be offered for auction only after the required amendment of the Telecommunications Act, probably in summer or autumn 1999.