Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Ivan Mikloš said August 27 that the sale price of a joint operating licence for GSM and UMTS mobile operator services had been set at a minimum of 1 billion crowns ($20 million); the licences will be auctioned before the end of 2001.
The Telecoms Ministry had earlier said that after carrying out its own research it found it could only attract a third operator to the GSM market by offering a combined package with a UMTS licence. Existing GSM operators Globtel and Eurotel will be offered UMTS licences.
