The country’s largest mobile phone operator Grameenphone says its 3G services will be available to certain areas in Dhaka and Chittagong in October.
GP’s CEO Vivek Sood made this announcement on Monday in a Dhaka hotel a day after it picked up 10Mhz in Sunday’s 3G auction.
After covering some areas of Dhaka and Chittagong in October, the 3G services will be extended to rest of Dhaka district, Narayanganj and Gazipur in November.
Sood was optimistic that by December, GP’s 3G services will be available in all seven divisional towns.
BRTC statistics indicate that GP has 44.6 million mobile phone users at end of July 2013.
Three other mobile operators – Banglalinki, Robi and Airtel – have also picked up 5Mhz each during Sunday’s 3G spectrum auctions.
GP will pay the government the equivalent of $210 million for picking up 10 Mhz – the three other operators will pay the equivalent of $105 million each.
In current exchange rates, the Government has netted Tk 40.81 billion through the auctions.
But 15 Mhz or 38 percent of the total spectrum offered has remained unsold and the government it will take a decision on it soon.
BRTC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose said that the bidders will have to pay the government 60 percent of the total payable amount within 30 days of the auction and the rest within 180 working days.
Bose said the licenses will be provided within 7 to 10 days of the payments.
If any operator fails to start the 3G services in any area within 9 months of the issue of license, they will have to pay a penalty of Tk 500 million.
As per the 3G policy, the licences will be valid for 15 years.-bdnews24.com
