Ensuring smooth process: Govt seeks suggestions before spectrum auction

Minister, CEOs meet to ensure successful completion of process.

ISLAMABAD: Living up to the core objectives of full transparency and inclusive consultation, the government will make all possible efforts to include suggestions of stakeholders, particularly cellular mobile operators, to ensure successful completion of the next generation spectrum auction.

All elements of the framework will be structured in such a way that will ensure benefit to the public, maximum investment in rollout of networks and financial viability of the mobile broadband market.

This was stated by Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rehman Khan while chairing a meeting with chief executive officers and representatives of cellular operators at the Ministry of Infor­mation Technology here on Friday.

The meeting was also attended by IT Secretary Akhlaq Ahmed Tarrar and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Chairman Dr Syed Ismail Shah.

The mobile operators, who are the biggest stakeholders due to expected participation in the auction and investments, apprised the minister of the major suggestions of the industry and sought support prior to the close of consultations on the draft Information Memorandum issued by the government.

A well-balanced formulation of auction design and regulatory mechanism for licensing are considered imperative in ensuring a successful auction and a healthy mobile broadband market for the benefit of broadband-deprived telecom users.

The minister and other key decision-makers considered the suggestions presented during the meeting.

There was a consensus that improvement in both the auction regime and the requirements of market development based on the principles of fairness, level-playing field and proportionate regulation of markets for the benefit of consumers is essential.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2014.

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