Three claims ComReg decision may mean €40m price disadvantage for them

Three's head of regulatory affairs, Niamh Hodnett, says in an affidavit that while the apparent objective of the auction system is to protect Eir "in reality it gives an unjustified advantage to Vodafone". File photo

Mobile phone network operator Three Ireland claims it will suffer a price disadvantage against competitors of between €20m and €40m under a new auction system to award spectrum bands for mobile and wireless broadband services.

Three Ireland (Hutchison) Ltd and Three Ireland Services (Hutchison) Ltd, part of the CK Hutchison Holdings multinational conglomerate, has brought High Court proceedings appealing the decision from December 18 last of the telecommunications regulator ComReg to hold a multi-brand spectrum award which will assign rights across four spectrum brands for the next 20 years.