Three for 3G

Turkish officials have announced they received three bids for 3G licences by yesterday’s tender deadline. The country’s three GSM operators -Turkcell, Avea, and Vodafone – have submitted four separate bids to the Information Technologies and Communication Council (BTK). Four licences will be awarded on 28 November, and Turkey has set the minimum values of the A, B, C and D licences at EUR285 million (USD322.6 million), EUR250 million, EUR214 million and EUR178 million respectively. Turkcell reportedly submitted the highest bid of EUR358 million for the A-category licence. The successful bidders will also get licences for all new-generation mobile systems introduced within the next 20 years.

Turkey held a 3G tender last year, but the deal was abandoned because the country’s largest mobile phone operator Turkcell was the only bidder.