FG Hikes Broadband Spectrum Auction to N4Bn

The federal government is now asking for N3.97 billion, against the earlier price of N3.6 billion as auction fee for the 2.3GHz broadband spectrum, media reports claimed last night.

Consequently, the eventual bid winner will now be required to pay N374.6 million extra for the spectrum , which is one unpaired block of 30 MHz, adjoining a 10MHz guard band with the adjacent 2.4 GHz band.

According to Technology Times, President Goodluck Jonathan approved that an extra N374.6 million-licence fee be paid by the winner in the upcoming 2.3GHz spectrum auction that will usher in the sole provider of wholesale broadband services in Nigeria.
Already, about 16 firms seem to have indicated interest in the licence. These include the quartet of GSM operators; submarine cable firm, MainOne; a Code Division Multiple Operator, Visafone Communications owned by Jim Ovia.

In addition, Technology Times disclosed that firms linked with big businessmen like Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group; Smile Communications jointly-owned by Irene Charnley, ex-Director of MTN Group and Arab investors are also in the race for the license.

According to NCC, a successful bidder without a Unified Access Service License (UASL) license will be issued a Wireless Wholesale Access Service Licensee (WWASL) license upon payment of the specified fees, adding that it will also not allow the eventual winner to forge an alliance with an existing unified access licensee, a development that will mean not shelling out the N374.6m licence fee.