Eurotel (to be 100% owned by Cesky Telecom by the end of November) and T-Mobile CR (39% owned by Ceske radiokomunikace) reportedly agreed with the IT Ministry on the accelerated payments for their UMTS licenses - these will be paid next year instead of continuing gradual amortization over next eight years. Eurotel paid CZK 3.54bn and T-Mobile CR CZK 3.86bn for their licenses, the operators still have a related liability of more than CZK 2.0bn. The payment acceleration is negotiated in exchange for easing the (already soft) UMTS terms - the roll-out in the city of Prague will have to take place in January 2006, instead of 2005. Neutral.
Jiří Soustružník