The 4G auction in Turkey has raised a total of almost EUR 3.4 billion, compared to reserve prices of in total EUR 2.3 billion. Turkcell will pay the most, a total of EUR 1.62 billion, Avea EUR 955 million and Vodafone Turkey 778 million, according to local paper Hurriyet. The one-day, oral auction run by the Information and Communication Technologies Agency offered 20 lots of frequencies in the 800, 900, 1,800, 2,100 and 2,600 MHz bands. Under the licences valid until April 2029, the operators will be required to launch 4G services by next April. The spectrum awards remain subject to final approval by the regulator.
The 800 MHz band, with three lots of 2x10 MHz, attracted the highest bids, led by Vodafone with EUR 390 million. Avea will pay EUR 380 million, and Turkcell bid the minimum price of EUR 373 million for its lot. Avea will pay EUR 217 million for the largest block in the 900 MHz band of 2x7.6 MHz, while Vodafone and Turkcell offered the minimum EUR 40 million for 2x1.4 MHz each. In the 1,800 MHz band, Turkcell made the top offer of EUR 430 million for the largest block of 229.8 MHz, and Avea won the bidding for its lot of 2x20 MHz at EUR 310 million. Vodafone will pay the minimum EUR 95 million for 2x10 MHz in the 1,800 MHz band.
In the 2,100 MHz band, Turkcell took all three lots, at EUR 160 million for 2x5 MHz, EUR 188 million for 2x5 MHz and EUR 35 million for 1x10MHz. Turkcell also paid the top price in the 2,600 MHz band, at EUR 384 million for 2x25 MHz. Vodafone took another lot of 2x15 MHz for EUR 240 million, and Avea will pay the minimum EUR 26 million for its lot of 2x10 MHz. In the unpaired 2,600 MHz frequencies, Avea offered EUR 22 million for 15 MHz, and Vodafone and Turkcell will each pay EUR 12.9 million for 10 MHz. Two lots, one paired and one unpaired, in the 2,600 MHz band were left unsold.
