Portugal Extends 3G Deadline

Portugal's three remaining UMTS players have had the deadline for launching 3G services extended by a year to December 31, 2003, by the country's Economy Ministry because of a lack of interoperable equipment.TMN (the mobile operator of incumbent telco Portugal Telecom Group), Optimus, and Vodafone Telecel are the three left standing after they carved up the carcass of failed greenfield operator OniWay (see Europe's 3G Shrinkage). It seems the Iberian countries are taking a more lenient approach to their 3G license holders than are other parts of Europe, as the Spanish operators recently received a financial helping hand in addition to previous deadline extensions (see Spain Offers 3G Respite).— Ray Le Maistre, European Editor, Unstrung