M'sia to auction more 3G licenses

M'sia to auction more 3G licenses

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities plan to sell two more
high-speed third-generation mobile communications licenses in a
second round of auctions beginning Aug. 22, a government agency
said on Friday.

The move will allow the country's smaller telecommunications
companies, such as DiGi.Com, to compete with the first round
bidders in 2002 -- Telekom Malaysia and Maxis -- that rolled out
their 3G services earlier this year, analysts said.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said it
will auction more 3G licenses because of the "current positive
trend in the rollout of 3G services worldwide, the availability
of spectrum and the need to promote and sustain competition."

The licenses will be awarded by a tender costing 55 million
ringgit (US$14.5 million) each, with applications closing Nov.
11.

Successful bidders will be announced by February next year,
the commission said. -- AP