Anatel Suspends GSM License Auction to Study Bid

Brazil's telecoms regulator Anatel has suspended the auction of a GSM license in the greater São Paulo area to study a bid made by local phone company Unicel do Brasil Telecomunicações, newspaper Valor Econômico reported.

Anatel's licensing committee stopped the process on January 16 to study the documentation presented by Unicel in accordance with the rules of the auction, according to Anatel's committee president Nelson Takayanagi.

If the bid is approved, Unicel will be the fourth operator in the region alongside Vivo, TIM and América Móvil unit Claro.

Unicel has previously bid for this license and proved to be the sole applicant on February 21, 2006. However, that bid was disqualified because Unicel wanted to provide a guarantee of only 1% of the 93.8mn-real (US$43.5mn) minimum value put on the license, rather than 10% as required by Anatel.

Anatel previously tried to auction São Paulo mobile licenses in September 2004."

Posted to the site on 18th January 2007