The Czech Cabinet recently announced a plan to offer a UMTS licence to mobile operator Oskar, which must decide by 28 February 2005 if it is prepared to pay the CZK 2 billion fee, reports the Prague Post. T-Mobile and Eurotel have both held UMTS licences since 2001, although neither has launched services yet. If Oskar decides against buying the licence, the govt will extend the offer to other candidates, but will not lower the price. Eurotel and T-Mobile have both criticized the asking price as being too low compared to the CZK 3.6 billion and CZK 3.6 billion they agreed to pay in 2001. The lower price reflects current market conditions, according to IT Minister Vladimir Mlynar. The government is expected to make a decision about the UMTS license by 30 June 2005.
