Macedonia’s third mobile licence tender gets under way

Macedonia's telecoms regulator the Electronic Communications Agency says that bidding for the country's third mobile licence will begin next week. The process will last until 15 January 2007 with the successful bidder required to launch in the summer of next year. Macedonia says it has already received expressions of interest from four international and four domestic companies wishing to participate in the auction. Under the auction rules, the third mobile operator must pay a minimum EUR5 million for the use of radio frequencies, and must agree to roll out a network capable of serving two million users. Companies wishing to bid must have reported income of at least EUR300 million in the period 2004-05, and the new operator must provide bank guarantees from ‘prominent world banks’. In addition, the winner must cover 30% of the population in the first year, rising to 50% in the second year and 90% in the fourth.