More Delays for Bangladesh’s 3G License Auction

Bangladesh’s telecoms regulator has again delayed the 3G license auction – blaming unspecified “prevailing circumstances” for the delay.

The already oft-delayed auction was due to take place on the 24th June, but delayed until the 31st July. It is now provisionally set to go ahead on the 2nd September.

The government also recently approved measures to offer 8 blocks of 5 MHz instead of four blocks of 10 MHz to encourage the smaller networks to participate in the auction, and open up the possibility of more than one new entrant into the market.

The state-owned Teletalk has already been granted a 3G license, although it will be required to pay a license fee based on the outcome of the auction, when it eventually takes place.

An issue of how a value added tax will be applied to the auction bids is also still to be resolved.