Bangladeshi state-owned operator TeleTalk has provided details of a planned 3G trial, one day after the government set a June 2012 date for a long-awaited 3G spectum auction.
TeleTalk has been granted permissions to conduct a six-month commercial 3G trial, which can start prior to next year's auction.
The operator revealed in an interview with bdnews24 that it plans to commence trials once it has 3 million mobile customers, a goal it expects to reach March. But only an initial 1.7 million users will be migrated. The trial will at first be confined to major cities, and the operator plans to deploy around 700 3G base stations.
TeleTalk will be required to match the maximum bid price in order to receive a 3G license and continue 3G services after the auction, but will not be required to participate.
As well as announcing the date, Bangladesh's telecom regulator revealed on Thursday that the auction will be open to both domestic and foreign participants, and that any new entrants will also be eligible to apply for a 2G license.
Pakistani prime minister last week gave provisional approval to the terms of the country's own planned 3G auction - one such term being allowing foreign participation.