Turkey approves 3G telecoms licence launch
Posted by meb at February 17th, 2007
The Turkish government has approved the issue of four third-generation mobile telecoms licences and tenders will be launched in six months, the official gazette said on Friday.
The cabinet set the minimum prices for the four types of licence at 252 million euros, 224 million euros, 194 million euros and 140 million euros, the gazette said. It plans to offer four licences, but can change the number according to demand.
Turkey’s leading mobile operator is istanbul- and New York-listed Turkcell, which is part-owned by TeliaSonera. Britain’s Vodafone has bought Telsim, making it the second largest operator in the country, followed by Turk Telekom’s Avea.
The licences, covering services and infrastructure, will give operating rights for 20 years. The operator will have to provide coverage, without roaming, to at least 25 percent of the population in three years and 50 percent within five years. Turkey will be one of the last countries in Europe, along with Macedonia and Albania, to get 3G, which provides faster service and video telephony. Shares in Turkcell, which has said it wants to implement the technology right away, traded 0.65 percent lower at 0830 GMT at 7.65 lira in a flat market.
source: The New Anatolian
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