A representative of the Frequency Department said that today (April 19) is the deadline for submitting bidding documents for 4G and 5G bands. After this time, units of the Ministry of Information and Communications will evaluate bidding documents of enterprises. After enterprises win the bid for the bands used for technologies such as 4G and 5G, they will be granted a license to provide telecommunications services by the Ministry of Information and Communications .
According to the representative of the Frequency Department, for frequency bands A1 (2300 - 2330 Mhz), A2 (2330 - 2360 Mhz), A3 (2360 - 2390 Mhz), the starting price is 5,798 billion VND and the usage period is 15 years.
Participation in this frequency auction is not only for businesses providing mobile services but also for many other telecommunications businesses if they are qualified. Thus, it is very likely that the mobile market will see new players joining this market and using 4G and 5G technology.
Enterprises participating in the auction of the right to use radio frequencies for the 2300-2400 MHz band can deploy telecommunications networks and services using IMT-Advanced (4G) or IMT-2020 (5G) technology. Enterprises participating in the auction of the right to use radio frequencies for the 2300-2400 MHz band according to the principle of deploying which technology (based on the application file for approval of eligibility to participate in the auction), will apply the requirement to deploy telecommunications networks with the corresponding technology (IMT-Advanced/ IMT-202).
Previously, on November 4, at the National Assembly's question-and-answer session, delegate Dao Chi Nghia ( Can Tho City National Assembly Delegation) raised a question about the implementation of radio frequency auctions.
In response to this question, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said that before 2016, the frequency allocation was sufficient for the needs of businesses and there was no need for further allocation. After 2016, network operators began to have new needs. During the period from 2010 to 2016, when the Law on Radio Frequencies and the Law on Telecommunications came into effect, Vietnam completed the institution, including regulations on frequency auctions and frequency planning for auction. By 2016, when the market demand arose, the Ministry of Information and Communications established a Steering Committee and apparatus to carry out frequency auctions.
In 2018, the auction was in its final stages. However, at this time, new laws such as the Law on Public Asset Management and the Law on Auctions began to take effect. These include regulations on the auction method and the method of determining the starting price, which must be based on the Government's Decree, not the Prime Minister's decision.
The Ministry of Information and Communications wants to continue to conduct frequency auctions in the old way during the transition period. After consulting with all ministries and sectors, the Ministry of Information and Communications found that this lacked a legal basis, so it stopped and asked the Government for permission to issue a Decree on auctions.
At the end of 2021, Decree 88/2021 on collection of fees for granting rights to use radio frequencies, auctions, licensing, and transfers of rights to use radio frequencies for frequency bands was issued. The Ministry of Information and Communications is using this Decree to carry out the frequency auction process, specifically the 4G frequency auction and soon 5G.
While the frequency auction has not been completed, the Ministry of Information and Communications has directed network operators to convert 2G frequencies to 3G and 3G frequencies to 4G. Major network operators have also spoken out about not having enough bandwidth to ensure the quality of service provided to customers. Therefore, network operators want the 4G and 5G frequency auction to take place soon so that they can put this bandwidth into operation.
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