Spectrum licences up for grabs
The government announced on November 2 that it will hold its first public auction for 4G spectrum frequencies, with two licences up for bid on frequencies reassigned after their original licence-holders failed to utilise them. The two licences cover the 800 MHz and 2600 MHz band of the spectrum, and will offer mobile network operators additional wireless bandwidth to expand their 4G networks. Khov Makara, spokesman for the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, said the government will give telecom companies the chance to bid for the licences under a new “comparative tender process” that will also take into account how the companies intend to utilise the frequencies. Previously, the government sold spectrum licences to whoever was willing to buy them. “This is the first time to open licences to a public bid for all mobile operators, as we want to expand the quality of service to the consumer,” he explained. “This is a new model that allows us to get more revenue for the state, and we will no longer be selling frequencies on a first-come first-serve basis, as before.”
