El Salvador telecommunications regulator Siget has re-launched the tender for 1900 MHz and 1700-2100 MHz (AWS) spectrum. Siget is auctioning two spectrum blocks of 20 MHz (10+10 MHz) in the 1900 MHz frequency bands and 20 MHz (10+10 MHz) in the 1700-2100 MHz frequency bands. Initially launched at the beginning of October, the tender was temporarily suspended by the Competition Superintendence. The competition watchdog claimed that the tender conditions left room for market concentration and urged Siget to review these conditions in order to boost the entry of new market operators.
Following the tender re-launch, interested operators can place their bids by 22 November. The bid opening is scheduled for 27 November. The starting price has been set at USD 13.99 million per 20 MHz spectrum block.
At end-October, La Prensa Grafica reported that four operators, namely Intelfon, Red, Salnet, and Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), were interested in acquiring 1900 MHz, AWS mobile spectrum in El Salvador.
