Taiwan’s National Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that it will hold an examination session today for those companies seeking to acquire a 4G concession. According to the China Post, the regulator will use the session to help decide which would-be bidders are qualified to take part in the auction that begins on 2 September 2013. Following the examination of those companies that have submitted application to take part in the sale process, it is understood that the NCC will announce a final list of qualified bidders on 15 August, with an auction rehearsal to take place on 20 August.
As noted in TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, at the start of July 2013 it was confirmed that seven companies would vie for LTE-suitable spectrum, including all four of the country’s 3G licensees – Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone and Asia Pacific Telecom. The other three companies looking to participate in the auction are: Foxconn Group subsidiary Ambit Microsystems; a mobile telecom company newly established by the Ting Hsin International Group; and another new company set up by the Shinkong Group. In total the government will make available a total of 270MHz of spectrum in the 700MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz bands, and having outlined the starting prices for the 4G-suitable spectrum in May 2013, should the government sell all the frequencies at the lowest price, it would raise some TWD35.9 billion (USD1.2 billion) in total.