Swiss Missed: Country Postpones 3G Auction, BT Scales Back European Sights

BERLIN -- Apparently European third-generation wireless auctions can't end without somebody close to tears.

Earlier this year, the U.K. and Germany auction costs soared into the billions, bringing the telecom operators to tears. In Italy and the Netherlands, governments became misty-eyed after their 3G contests ended sooner than expected, leaving public coffers short of some much-coveted telco lucre. On Monday it was Switzerland's turn for some UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) ugliness.

The Swiss, on the heels of merger news, postponed its auction. Danish operator Tele Danmark (TLD Quote) said it would acquire and combine Swiss telcos Sunrise Communications and diAx in deals worth $2 billion. With only four remaining bidders for four licenses, Swiss authorities pulled the plug on the auction moments before it was scheduled to begin. ...