One licence to provide advanced telecommunications services using the GSM 1800 Guard band frequencies to be auctioned

TRA today has issued an Invitation to Tender document inviting current and interested potential eligible licensees to submit their technical and commercial proposals. The invitation to tender document sets out the rules for bidding for of a single license in the frequency band 1785 MHz - 1805 MHz.

The Frequency Licence shall be awarded by way of a multi stage process consisting of a technical submission and a financial submission. The licence will be awarded to the highest valid financial bid.


Mr. Mohammed Al Amer, Chairman of the Board said:

"TRA received a number of requests for spectrum to provide services using these particular frequencies. Therefore in accordance with the requirements of the Telecommunications Law TRA is launching a competitive tender for the award of a single licence to use these frequencies."

In announcing this tender the TRA General Director said,"For the avoidance of doubt these frequencies can be used with any appropriate telecommunications service licence, with the exception of the Mobile Telecommunications Services Licence. Available frequencies to be associated with the Mobile Telecommunications Service Licence are currently subject to their own separate process (3rd mobile).

In order to ensure rapid deployment of services prospective licencees will have to demonstrate a prior ability to operate services using technologies in these or similar frequency bands. The Licence will be awarded based upon a combination of the technical and commercial merits as well as a sealed financial bid, and the highest bid wins auction. There are some important niche services which require wireless connection between individuals within the same organisation e.g. for home delivery services and public utilities.

Such user applications can be satisfied by the use of innovative IP based technologies which use the spectrum we are offering in the GSM Guard Band. Our objective is to encourage the take up of this spectrum and the introduction of modern technology to provide advanced services.

In accordance with the timetable for the auction process, set out in the invitation to tender document, the 1st December 2008 is the final date for submission of bids, and the announcement of the winner will be early January 2009.

The Invitation to Tender is available on TRA's website. it contains all the relevant details of the award process and guidelines on the preparation of bids and their subsequent evaluation by TRA. In addition, the invitation to tender contains the application forms, and a draft copy of the frequency license to be awarded to the winner.