The commercial launching of third generation mobile services (UMTS) has been postponed until the 31st of December 2002. This new date does not mean that these services cannot be launched sooner. Should this happen then operators will not have to pay spectrum utilisation fees during the year 2002. These points have been agreed by the Minister of Social Equipment after a proposal of Instituto das Comunicações de Portugal (ICP).
This decision was made following a consultation made by ICP to the four licensed operators and to the equipment manufacturers, aimed at evaluating the technical plans and market justifications for the need to proceed with a postponement.
The results of the consultation confirmed the impeding and unavoidable nature of the unavailability of equipment, thus constituting a situation of unavoidable circumstances for the non-fulfilment of the date of initiation of activity foreseen in the licences (January 1st 2002).
The ICP also defined the conditions that will govern the sharing of infrastructures by the four licensed operators.
Consult:
- Implementation of the UMTS System https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=13512
