Mannesmann AG has attacked the government for strengthening the monopoly position of Deutsche Bundespost Telekom and not doing enough to encourage competition in the telecommunications sector. The firm says there is a need for a time schedule for the gradual introduction of competition onto the German telecommmunications market. It criticised the minister sharply for awarding Telekom the first licence to operate an in-flight mobile telephone network in Germany although equal bids had been made by Mannesmann and Cable & Wireless Plc unit Mercury Communications. A German court has since blocked the government from awarding the licence and it appears that the government favours giving the licence away in a lottery between the original bidders.
