Bangladesh set to hold 3G auction in June - Telecompaper

[Sayeed]

http://www.telecompaper.com/news/bangladesh-set-to-hold-3g-auction-in-june--925069

Bangladesh's 3G auction will be held on 24 June, telcobuzzi.com reported, citing Sunil Kanti Bose, chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Kanti said that an advertisement for the auction should appear in newspapers on 15 February to invite local and foreign bidders. The ministry of post and telecommunication has finalised the auction guidelines and sent the guideline to the BTRC for inviting bids. Ministry officials earlier said that a total of four licences will be awarded: three to existing operators and one to a new one -- for 2,100 MGz spectrum. The finance ministry at the end of 2012 set USD 20 million as the base price for the auction, for per megahertz spectrum. The spectrum will be technology-neutral, meaning operators will be able to offer services of 3G or 4G or LTE (long term evolution). A total of 40 MHz spectrum will be up for bidding in the auction, while state-owned mobile operator Teletalk already got another 10 MHz spectrum on a trial basis. The operators will have the scope to purchase 5 MHz to 10 MHz spectrum but not beyond 15 MHz, the ministry officials said. The operators will also be allowed to purchase from the unsold spectrum but their total limit should not exceed 15 MHz, according to the guideline. Five private mobile operators -Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi, Airtel and Citycell- are expected to take part in the auction, while Teletalk will pay for its 10 MHz at the rate of the auction. An internet service provider may come as a new entrant to participate in the auction.