The Swiss telecommunication companies Amitelo and BebbiCell were granted frequency permissions to operate a GSM-mobile network in Iceland on Wednesday. Two Icelandic companies, Núll-Níu and IP-fjarskipti, were rejected.
Lárus Jónsson, the managing director of Núll-Níu, told Fréttabladid the Post and Telecom Administration in Iceland had failed its duty by granting the Swiss companies access to the market.
“Those companies have nothing to support them and obviously have no plans of establishing services here. They were chosen above Icelandic companies that have been operating for many years and established much of the necessary equipment. We will use our right to object,” Jónsson said.
Jónsson explained that once companies are given a green light on a frequency for GSM-operations they are also granted access to various associations from which they can benefit. Therefore companies often claim they want to establish a service without doing so, Jónsson stated.
“We are certainly interested in operating a GSM-system in Iceland,” said Jan Malkus, Chief Strategy Officer for Amitelo, adding Jónsson’s accusations were groundless.
Andreas Fink, the director of BebbiCell, which will be known as IceCell in Iceland, said he was pleased with the frequency permission. “It is clear that we plan to establish a network in Iceland. I’m going there myself this weekend.”
