Five mobile network operators (MNOs) have applied for 4G/LTE licence to BTRC while four of them will participate in spectrum auction scheduled to be held on February 13.

Bangladesh Telecommuni-cation Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood revealed this at a press conference at BTRC office in the capital yesterday.

BTRC chairman expected that 4G mobile service will be available to all corners of Bangladesh by March.

 “We’ve constituted two separate committees to evaluate the 4G/LTE licence and spectrum applications which will submit report within January 23,” he said.

The licence seekers are state-own Teletalk, Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Citycell. Besides, apart from the Teletalk all MNOs have submitted application for taking part in spectrum auction.

 However, the lone CDMA-based mobile operator Citycell has stopped providing service since October last year. Since Citycell does not have 3G licence, it has to collect licence first and purchase spectrum.

 On December 4 last year, BTRC announced the roadmap for 4G/LTE licence and spectrum auction. BTRC will hold auction in 2100 MHz, 1800 MHz and 900 MHz bands. Through the auction, the telecom regulator will also provide technology neutrality which has been demanding the MNOs since long.  

 After the evaluation, BTRC Chairman said, they will send recommendation with the list of qualified MNOs to the ministry of posts, telecommunications and Information Technology for issuing 4G/LTE licence.

 “We hope the MNOs will offer 4G/LTE service by the end of February or middle of March,” expected Dr Shahjahan Mahmood.

 According to the roadmap, BTRC will publish the list of qualified applicants for the auction on January 25 while consultation on auction procedure will take place on January 29, date for submission of bid earnest money is on February 5, letter of acceptance/rejection to participate in the bidding is February 7 and mock auction will be held on February 12.

  Besides, the telecom regulator will announce the name of winning operators on February 14.

 BTRC Director General (Legal and Licencing) AKM Shahiduzzaman said the wining MNOs will get 30 days to pay the fees for licence and spectrum. “During the timeframe, MNOs can pay the money and start 4G/LTE operation.”  

Under the rollout obligation, operators will have to extend 4G services in all the divisional headquarters within the first nine months of getting the licence. They are also bound to rollout these services in the district headquarters within 18 months, according to the guideline. They will get a total of three years to rollout 4G services across the country.

In its draft 4G licencing guideline, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission had earlier recommended Tk 15 crore as the licence acquisition fee and Tk 7.5 crore as the annual licence fee.

But in a meeting on July 18 last year with the Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy, it was decided that the licence acquisition fee will be slashed to Tk 10 crore and the annual fee to Tk 5 crore.

EA