Bulgaria's mobile phone operator MobilTel has the technical capability to offer 3G services, according to company CEO Josef Vinatzer. MobilTel, owned by Telekom Austria, is ready to offer 3G services six months after winning a third-generation network operator's licence with a bid of BGN 78 million (EUR 40 million). By winning the 20-year Class A licence in March 2005, MobilTel is obliged to offer high-speed UMTS services within two years. At present, MobilTel's UMTS network covers the territory of the capital Sofia. Two 20-year Class B permits, which have lower transmission capacity, were granted in March to BTC and Bulgaria's second-largest mobile operator, GloBul, for BGN 42 million (EUR 21 million) each. Bulgaria's Communications Regulation Commission estimates that only 10% of the current GloBul and MobilTel subscribers will migrate to 3G.
