DUBLIN, Ireland—Ireland’s Office of the Director of Telecom Regulations received bids from three wireless operators for its four third-generation mobile licenses up for sale, including one “A” license covering 80 percent of the country’s population and potentially extra spectrum to carry mobile virtual network operator services and three “B” licenses providing coverage in a minimum of five major cities and slower minimum rollout conditions.
The bidders include Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa Group, which placed a bid for the single “A” license; British Telecommunications plc’s recently spun off O2 wireless division, which placed bids for both the “A” and “B” licenses; and Vodafone Ireland, which placed bids for both licenses.
