T-Mobile launch of 3G services delayed

German daily paper Tagesspiegel, has reported that Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile unit no longer expects to be able to launch commercial third-generation UMTS mobile phone services this year.

T-Mobile have not commented on the report, but said did say the launch of the new UMTS services depended on a several of criteria, and cited handsets in particular.

Deutsche Telekom chairman Kai-Uwe Ricke has said on several occasions that UMTS services could not be up and running until the group was certain that all

technical details had been settled.

At the beginning of 2003, Ricke had said the new services would be launched in the third quarter.

There has been speculation that the CeBIT computer trade fair in Hanover in spring of next year, is to be the new launch date.