Macau's Telecommunications Regulation Bureau (DSRT) announced Monday that it has granted four companies licenses to provide 4G services.
A total of six companies tendered for the license last year. The four operators which won the bid are CTM, China Telecom, SmarTone and Hutchison. The two that did not meet the government’s requirements are China Mobile and U Hong.
License winners will be required to provide a 4G service within this year. Their coverage must reach at least 50% this year. The 4G licenses have an eight-year term. The bureau said that after a two-year review of the telecom industry’s development and depending on customer demand, it would consider putting up a fifth 4G license for bidding.
CTM CEO Vandy Poon Fuk Hei said in a statement that the company would provide locals with the most advanced 4G services within this year based on the company’s extensive knowledge and experience in infrastructure projects.
China Telecom said that it was confident of launching a full-coverage 4G service from the third quarter of this year. It also promised that it will provide 4G in advance for locals to experience, and to provide lower tariffs.
Hutchison said that it would start offering its 4G service in the fourth quarter. SmarTone could not be reached for comment by press time.
This story originally appeared in The Macau Post Daily.