BERLIN-A consortium comprised of Telefonica, Orange and Sonera will join U.S.-based MCI WorldCom and 10 other groups in bidding for third-generation licenses in Germany. The auction is set to begin in early July.
The German regulator will sell 12 frequencies of radio spectrum to support Universal Mobile Telecommunications Services networks. Each frequency is expected to bring up to $4.7 billion, and bidders are predicted to buy either two or three frequencies and bundle them together.
Other bidders include Germany’s four incumbent operators-E-Plus, Mannesmann Mobilfunk, T-Mobil and Viag Interkom-along with Mobilcom, Debitel, France’s Vivendi, Nets AG and Auditorium Investments.
The German auction will take place just months after Europe’s first 3G license auction in the United Kingdom. After eight weeks and 150 rounds, the auction garnered $35 billion for the country.
