The Coming Week in Europe: Telcos Hearken to Feudalism in 3G Pursuit

BERLIN -- In many ways, the travails of Europe's telecommunications operators have come to resemble the Continental power politics of the 19th century.

An alliance for third-generation wireless services here, an invasion to grab fixed-line business there. All the while former state-run monopolies and national champions plot their strategies to become global telecom contenders.

In fact, you can almost see the executives of the Continent's leading telcos sitting down to that old board game of world conquest, Risk, in an all-out battle for Europe's telephony customers. ...