Radiocommunications Agency Searches for Consultant to Assist with UMTS Licensing Process

DTI Press Release - 1 October 1997

The Radiocommunications Agency (RA) has published an advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Communities seeking expressions of interest in tendering to provide financial management consulting services. The financial management consultant would assist the RA in preparing for the possible auction of spectrum licences for UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service), the third generation of mobile telecommunications.

In placing this advertisement, the RA is taking necessary preparatory steps to meet the Government's and industry's shared goal of early licensing certainty for UMTS. As well as this initiation of a competitive tender process other action being taken is formation of a dedicated team within RA to oversee the UMTS spectrum licensing process.

Any such auction remains subject to the successful completion of Parliamentary consideration of, and Royal Assent being given to the Wireless Telegraphy Bill 1997, and the necessary laying before Parliament of delegated legislation under the subsequent Act and to the results of the current consultation on the document "Multimedia Communications on the Move".

Notes for Editors

1. The Radiocommunications Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry.

2. The consultation document "Multimedia Communications on the Move" was published on 31 July 1997. Written comments should be sent to the DTI by 17 October 1997. (Download the consulatation document "Multimedia Communications On The Move" available in .PDF and Word 6.0 (126 Kb))

3. The Wireless Telegraphy Bill, currently before Parliament, includes provisions to allow spectrum licences to be auctioned. Auctions can have a number of important advantages, securing openness, transparency, speed and economic efficiency while providing market information. However, they are not suitable in all circumstances, e.g. where the number of bidders is equal to or less than the number of items available. "Multimedia Communications on the Move" proposed that an auction would possibly be the fairest and most effective way of assigning spectrum licences for UMTS.


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