Mobile operator Amena has unveiled its UMTS mobile phone service in the 20 most populous cities in Spain, reports Cinco Dias. The company will roll out the service to another five cities by end-2004. Coverage will be 33 percent of the population by end-2004. According to Belarmino Garcia, Amena director general, UMTS will not see mass adoption until H2 2007, so major promotions are ruled out until this date. Amena has invested EUR 120 million in setting up 800 base stations throughout Spain, forecast to rise to 1,200 base stations by end-2004. Ericsson and Siemens have supplied technology to Amena. Amena aims to invest EUR 750 million by 2006, rising to EUR 1 billion by 2009. With the UMTS service launch, Amena has unveiled a package including a Sony Ericsson phone, 1,000 video messages and EUR 500 worth of free traffic for three months, and video calls for EUR 0.25 per minute. The connection charge is EUR 399 for contract customers and EUR 499 for prepaid customers.
