PSTN operators not eligible to bid
Spectrum auction
Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) operators will not be eligible to bid in the auction of 1800 and 2100 MHz Band spectrum.
The Prime Minister Office has suggested holding the auction only between mobile phone operators and broadband wireless access operators canceling the option of keeping PSTN operators under the proposal of BTRC, according to the Post and Telecommunication Department.a
The price for 2100 MHz Band spectrum auction is likely to remain $ 22 million and PSTN operators will not be eligible to bid in the auction, said a senior BTRC official.
We have hard few observations from the Prime Ministers Office was sent to the ministry and we will provide feedback to the telecom ministry according to its demand, Md Sarwar Alam, secretary of BTRC, told The Independent yesterday.
We can not confirm the exact time of the spectrum auction right now, he added.
According to the Post and Telecommunication Department, BTRC is not sure about the time the auction. The Ministry of Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology is working on it to finalise the issue.
After the cancellation of the spectrum guideline of 1800 and 2100 MHz Band Spectrum on May 5, government is revising the guidelines for the assignment of spectrum.
The BTRC was supposed to hold the spectrum auction on May 27 as not a single mobile operator has submitted bid application for the auction that was scheduled to be held on May 20 amid unsolved issues of SIM replacement tax and VAT on spectrum. On April 26, the regulatory agreed to bring changes to its spectrum auction guidelines to allow even the operator with highest spectrum to take part in the first round of the upcoming spectrum auction.
The Commission also took a policy decision to create scope for new operators to enter the market so as to ensure a fair competition.
After receiving approval from the Post and Telecom Department, BTRC will publish the guidelines.
On February 19 this year, the BTRC fixed April 30 as the date to auction 1,800 and 2,100 band spectrum. The last date for submitting bid application was March 29. But the mobile phone operators demanded resolution of some unsolved issues, including that of the SIM replacement tax. Since no one submitted bid application by stipulated time, BTRC rescheduled the auction on May 20.
The telecom regulator expected that the unsolved issues should be resolved before the auction.
Meanwhile on April 9, NBR, Post and Telecom Department, BTRC and mobile operators had a discussion with Finance Minister AMA Muhith regarding the unsolved issues including SIM replacement tax and VAT on spectrum.
Since the outcome of the meeting was not positi ve the mobile operators sought some time to discuss among themselves.
BTRC Director Licensing MA Taleb Hossain issued a notice yesterday regarding the new date for the spectrum auction.
According to the new scheduled, the last date for submission of applications for spectrum auction is May 5 while the BTRC will publish the list of qualified bidder on May 7.The last date for submission of the bid earnest money is May 19 while the mock auction would be held on May 26 and finally the auction will be held on May 27.
The base price has been fixed at US$ 30 million per 1800 MHz of spectrum while the 2,100 MHz band at $ 22 million.
Some 10.6 MHz of 1800 band will go on auction which will be sold in three spectrum blocks, (5.6+5.6) MHz and (5+5) MHz and an operator will be eligible to buy only one slot.
