French Fin Min Is Reviewing New 3G License Recommendations
Tuesday September 23rd, 2008 / 9h45
PARIS -(Dow Jones)- French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said Tuesday she has received recommendations from telecommunications regulator Arcep on the country's fourth third-generation mobile license, adding that she and the other relevant ministers will submit their observations on the matter to parliament soon. Arcep Monday published the results of a public consultation launched last June, saying all or some of the frequencies for a fourth 3G mobile operator in the country should be awarded in a public tender. Arcep's recommendation comes on top of a study by French antitrust body Conseil de la Concurrence last July criticizing the level of competition in the country's mobile-phone market. Besides the three main mobile operators - France Telecom SA's (FTE) Orange brand, Bouygues SA's (12050.FR) Bouygues Telecom, and Vivendi SA's (12777.FR) SFR - Iliad SA (403591.FR) is also interested in acquiring the license but has so far been unable to meet the asking price. -By Ruth Bender, Dow Jones Newswires; +33 1 40 17 17 40; ruth.bender@dowjones.com Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary: http://www.djnewsplus.com/al?rnd=mxZ09luYJZP8Iqr2QrN8MA%3D%3D. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day.
