Having been fleeced in the battle for Britain's next generation of mobile phone licences, the telecoms sector has wised up. Just as governments were totting up the wondrous sums they could expect to get from flogging their licences, the telecoms companies decided to team up in alliances to reduce the competitions. The first to feel the brunt have been the Dutch where there are five and a half bidders for five licences. Maybe, the Government here should stop to consider before counting on a 3G boost to the Exchequer.

Dominic Coyle can be contacted at dcoyle@irish-times.ie