BRUSSELS, Belgium-The mobile subsidiaries of Belgacom and Deutsche Telekom are partnering to jointly bid for a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System license in the Netherlands. The combined company, 3G Blue, will be held 50 percent plus one share by Ben, the Dutch mobile operator, and 50 percent minus one share by DT’s T-Mobile International subsidiary.
Ben is owned 70.6 percent by Belgacom and 29.4 percent by Tele Danmark. “Through 3G Blue, Ben, Belgacom, Tele Danmark and Deutsche Telekom are confident to be in the best position to obtain one of the UMTS licenses, which will be auctioned by the Dutch government,” the companies said. “3G Blue will become operational under the brand name Ben if and when it is granted one of these licenses.”
The Netherlands plans to begin its auction of five UMTS licenses next week.
