German 3G auction opened to 11 bidders

NEWS German telecoms regulator BPT has given approval for 11 companies to bid in its third-generation (3G) UMTS licence auctions. Six licences will be auctioned next month, with each expected to reach prices of E10bn (£6.2bn). One of the original 12 applicants, software provider Nets was forced to withdraw by BPT because it failed to prove it had the necessary requirements to run a 3G network. The regulator is also investigating France Telecom's acquisition of Orange earlier this week, as both companies are involved in separate consortiums to bid for a German licence. However, France Telecom has said withdrawing its bid - through German operator Mobilcom - is not an option. Meanwhile, France Telecom is to pull Orange out of a consortium that won a 3G licence in Spain, according to reports.