The auction for the third generation mobile licences in the Netherlands was left with only six bidders on its first day yesterday after the withdrawal of Hutchison 3G Netherlands, part of Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa, and NTL-owned Nogenta Swedish Acquisitions.

The companies gave no reason for pulling out only hours before the auction was due to begin.

The auction will almost certainly yield far less than the 20 billion Dutch guilders (€9.08 billion) the government had hoped for.

The reserve prices for the licences totals 470 million Dutch guilders.