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“We welcome the regulator’s decision to reduce the spectrum acquisition limit, as it will prevent any operator from hoarding spectrum,” said Shahed Alam, chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer of Robi Axiata.

The auction faces another complication as 20MHz of the 700MHz band remains tied up in a long-running legal dispute.

In 2007, the BTRC allocated 12MHz of the band to broadband service provider Always On Network Bangladesh Ltd before the frequency was approved for mobile services, leaving a significant portion currently unavailable for auction.

Meanwhile, the government has approved a 10 percent reduction in the base price of the 700MHz band. The base price is now set at Tk 237 crore per MHz for a 15-year licence period, down from Tk 263 crore per MHz. Despite the cut, mobile operators say the spectrum remains expensive and above global benchmark rates.