LISBON, Portugal-Portugal’s three wireless incumbent operators and fixed-line telecom provider Oni are among the companies submitting proposals for one of four Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses to be awarded later this year in the country. Portugal is awarding the licenses through a “beauty contest,” with each license winner paying a flat fee of about US$88 million.
The country’s wireless operators-Telecel, majority owned by Vodafone; TMN, a subsidiary of Portugal Telecom; and Optimus, owned by Sonae and France Telecom-along with Oni are seen as the favorites to receive a license, according to international press reports.
Finland’s Sonera is also bidding through a consortium with Jazztel and other companies.
