The Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation (ODTR) has confirmed Vodafone has been granted an extension until September 12th to pay for its 3G licence.
It also confirmed O2 has accepted the offer of a 3G 'B' licence and paid the initial fee of €44.4 million.
The deadline for offers was yesterday but under the tendering rules, companies were given the option to apply for an extension of the deadline to raise funds.
The 'B' licence includes minimum requirements of 33 per cent demographic coverage to be fulfilled by the end of June 2006 and 53 per cent demographic coverage to be fulfilled by the end of June 2008.
The total licence fee for the 'B' licence is €114.1 million phased over 15 years with the first instalment of €44.4 million to be paid upfront.
|
Britain-based Vodafone, which has 3G licences in several other European countries including Germany and Italy, now has until September 12th to decide whether or not to make the payment for the Irish licence.
A Vodafone Ireland spokeswoman in Dublin said the company requested an extension under the tender rules several days ago. "We decided we would seek the extension of time offered under the rules . . . and the regulator has indeed granted us a month's extension, by which time we will come back with our response," she said.
She said there were stringent roll-out conditions and penalties applicable under the rules of the tender, and Vodafone would consider the licence offer in a "reasoned and mature way".
Additional reporting Reuters