Bangladesh’s five private mobile operators have qualified to take part in the country’s upcoming 3G auction, which the regulator has announced will take place on 8 September.
Grameenphone, Robi Axiata, Banglalink, Airtel Bangladesh and Citycell, all…
Bangladesh’s five private mobile operators have qualified to take part in the country’s upcoming 3G auction, which the regulator has announced will take place on 8 September.
Grameenphone, Robi Axiata, Banglalink, Airtel Bangladesh and Citycell, all owned by large foreign operators, are competing for three 15-year 3G licences.
An additional licence, which had been reserved for a new entrant, may also be auctioned, according to local reports. Despite the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) efforts to open the Bangladeshi mobile market, no foreign operator applied for frequencies by the 12 August deadline.
BTRC chairman Sunil Kanti Bose was quoted telling the Dhaka Tribune a few days ago that a Korean operator expressed interest in a 3G licence after the deadline expired and asked to reschedule the bidding process. But Bose said the timetable could not be changed.
The BTRC is expected to offer 5 MHz slots in the 2100 MHz band, with a floor price set at US$20m per MHz.
Teletalk, a state-owned wireless operator, will also reportedly be given a licence but without formal bidding. Since October last year, the company has been offering 3G services without a licence on a trial basis.
First scheduled in June 2012, the 3G auction has been postponed several times because of regulatory and legal issues.
