GSMA wants discussion before auction in unused spectrum

The international organisation of mobile-phone operators has urged the Bangladesh government to organise a public discussion before it puts unused spectrum on auctions.

Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA) has written to the telecoms ministry, finance minister, ICT Division, senior secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office and BTRC chairman, Grameenphone said in a media statement on Thursday.

Regulator BTRC has recently decided to sell 10.6 megahertz of unused spectrum out of 1,800 megahertz to the mobile operators.

It has asked for permission from the telecom ministry to finalise a draft guideline before it holds the auction.

The BTRC proposed to sell the spectrum by splitting it in two parts – 5.6 and 6 megahertz.

According to BTRC officials, the draft provides that the operators with spectrum fees outstanding or those that had earlier taken over 20-megahertz spectrum cannot join in the auction of 1,800 megahertz spectrum.

Only Grameenphone is enjoying over 20 megahertz spectrum. The company has 32-megahertz -- 900 and 1800 megahertz in 2G and 2100 megahertz in 3G -- spectrum.

Banglalink has 20-megahertz, Robi 19.8-megahertz, Airtel 20-megahertz spectrum.

State-owned Teletalk enjoys 25.20-megaheartz.

BTRC said its move to keep the operators already enjoying over 20-megahertz spectrum out of the auction aimed to discourage ‘monopoly’.

But Grameenphone expressed its worries over the decision.

The largest mobile-phone operator, which has 50 million subscribers, also demanded resolution of several ‘long-standing unresolved issues’ before the auction.