Cheaper rate for 3G licence proposed
Mobile phone operators are expected to get 3G spectrum licence or ‘Third Generation’ mobile service licence at a comparatively lower rate than the prices proposed in the draft 3G guidelines.
The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications has proposed to reduce bid money for per megahertz spectrum of the 3G spectrum auction to $10 million.
In the draft guidelines, the fee for every megahertz was proposed at $30 million.
Recently, the Telecom ministry in a letter to the Finance ministry proposed $20 million for per megahertz spectrum as the starting price in the 3G spectrum auction early next year, a senior official of the ministry told bdnews24.com.
The draft guidelines was formulated by reserving 50 megahertz spectrum giving 10 megahertz to each of the five operators for the 3G mobile phone services. Since the bid money for per megahertz spectrum has been proposed to reduce by $10 million, the bid money of the total auction will be reduced by $50 million.
BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose told bdnews24.com: “We’ve already spoken to the stakeholders and experts, including the mobile operators, to discuss the 3G guidelines and the auction process.”
“We’ve proposed to fix the price of per megahertz spectrum considering that the consumers can avail the service in economical price after the mobile operators take the 3G licence.”
News Source: bdnews24.com
