ISLAMABAD: The bids of four mobile operators of Pakistan qualified for the auction of 3G and 4G licenses, Chairman of Pakistan Telecommunications Authority, Ismail Shah told.
Shah said that the four companies, namely Mobilink, Telenor, Ufone and Zong, were not defaulters of the government and the legal aspects of their bids had been scrutinised by the PTA and its consultants.
Another senior official, requesting not to be named, told that USD210m had been received as a 'non-refundable' pre-bid deposit, which was 15 per cent of the base price of the bid amount and was required to qualify for the participation in the auction.
Pakistan is set to hold long-awaited auctions for 3G and 4G network licences on April 23.
Pakistan is the only major country in the region that still does not offer 3G services. Its neighbour, war-ravaged Afghanistan, launched 3G services in 2012.
