TELECOMMUNICATIONS: MONACO TO BECOME ONE OF THE FIRST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES TO TEST UMTS.

• Position: Company Business and Marketing

Monaco's operator is set to issue 50 or so companies and another 50 or so private individuals with experimental NEC-made UMTS terminals according to Antoine Vran, the head of Monaco Telecom. These initial "customers", who will be chosen by lot, will have access to four types of services: Internet access with an accelerated rate of 384 kilobits, location services (determining a travel itinerary, finding a restaurant or cinema, etc.), video and television (Canal +) on demand as well as videoconference opportunities. The billing arrangements, periods of connection and the level of data consulted, sent or received have yet to be decided upon.Monaco Telecom has declined to say when the project will get under way on a large scale. "Terminals presently cost Euro 3,400. You cannot launch a service at this price", stressed Mr Vran. The...