Taiwan plans to raise at least NT$33.6 billion (US$973 million) by auctioning five licenses for so-called third-generation mobile-phone services through an auction.
The minimum bids will range from NT$4.2 billion (US$121 million) to NT$7.6 billion (US$220 million), based on the bandwidth, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said in a statement yesterday.
The ministry will accept bids for the licenses between Oct. 19 and Dec. 18.
The government is basing its decision to issue the licenses on its need to raise money for the budget. The 2001 budget deficit is NT$195 billion.
Already, at least seven groups of bidders have shown interest in bidding for the licenses for 3G services, which are designed for high-speed data transmissions that enable video, photographs and music to be sent to mobile phones.
Groups include Taiwan's five mobile telecoms, Taiwan Cellular Corp (台灣大哥大), Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信), Mobitai Telecommunications (東信電訊) and KG Telecommunications Co (和信電訊).
Most industry players have implored the government to hold off on the auction until next year.
Outlandish prices paid by European telecom firms during auction style bidding for 3G licenses has hobbled companies there.
The ministry has said in the past that it hopes to avoid mimicking what happened in European auctions, and planned to set an "acceptable rate."
The ministry also said it will allow license recipients to pay in installments. Companies should pay 30 percent of the bidding price to the government within 30 days or, as a second option, within 120 days plus interest.
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