Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency, known as ANATEL, announced Thursday that eight companies have filed the required documentation to participate in the country’s spectrum auction next week.
Those who will take part in the auction include Clear, TIM, Telefonica, Nextel, Sercomtel, Clivo Participações, Lig Telecomunicações and TPA Telecomunicações.
Up for grabs in the auction will be nearly 9,000 A and B lots in the 1.8 GHz, 1.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz bands, which may be used for cellular service, fixed broadband and limited private service. The winner of each lot will be the highest bidder, the agency said.
The auction is scheduled for a Dec. 17 start.
ANATEL said the goal of this auction is to expand the coverage of telecommunications services in the country. The agency also hopes to encourage the participation of small and medium-sized service providers or companies that may not yet be in the telecommunications industry.
But Brazil’s spectrum auction has struggled to gain participation in the past. In its auction of 700MHz spectrum in October 2014, the country failed to gain the participation of Grupo Oi SA, one of the nation’s top four wireless carriers.
As a result, Reuters reported, the auction fell short of its goal of raising 8 billion Brazilian reais, garnering only 5.4 billion reais (about $2.4 billion) instead.
Both Telefonica and TIM – who will be part of next week’s proceedings – took part last year’s auction alongside America Movil.
Filed Under: Telecommunications (spectrums)