DUBLIN, Ireland-Ireland’s telecom regulator said it will award Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses through a comparative selection process, or “beauty contest,” instead of an auction. In addition, the regulator indicated it favors issuing four licenses, including one reserved for a new entrant.
“Conscious of the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation’s commitment to the delivery of competitive prices, choice and quality in the Irish telecoms market and the need to provide the regulatory framework within which these will be achieved by telecom operators, I believe that the beauty contest will best secure these objectives,” said Etain Doyle, telecom regulator.
The regulator noted that an auction similar to those recently concluded in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands could potentially raise consumer costs and discourage mobile virtual network operators.
The level of fees for the beauty contest will be established later, Doyle said, adding that a preliminary prequalification round will most likely be held.
“Due to the complex issues involved, it has taken longer than planned to reach this decision, and with the preliminary round, it will be necessary to extend the timetable for the award of licenses by two to three months beyond the original deadline of February 2001 announced earlier this year,” she said.
Ireland’s mobile market will see its third carrier later this year, when the Meteor consortium launches services, competing against Eircell and Esat Digifone.
