WiMAX spectrum tender in Macedonia

The Agency for Electronic Communications in Macedonia has announced a public tender for:

1.1. The award of two authorisations for radio frequency utilisation in the radio frequency band 3.4–3.6 GHz for fixed-wireless access in the entire territory of the Republic of Macedonia. The radio frequency bands are as follows: 2 x 14 MHz: A (3410-3424 MHz) and A' (3510-3524 MHz) and 2 x 14 MHz: B (3527,5-3441,5 MHz) and B’ (3527,5-3541,5 MHz).

1.2. Granting of three authorisations for radio frequencies utilisation in the radio frequency band 3.4–3.6 GHz for fixed-wireless access for each of the six regions in the Republic of Macedonia determined in item 1 sub-item 1.3 of this tender, i.e. in the following radio frequencies bands: 2 x 14 MHz: C (3445-3459 MHz) and C’ (3545-3559 MHz); 2 x 14 MHz: D (3462,5-3476,5 MHz) and D’ (3562,5-3576,5 MHz); and, 2 x 14 MHz: E (3480-3494 MHz) and E’ (3580-3594 MHz).

1.3. The authorisations for radio frequency utilisation of item 1, sub-item 1.2 of this tender shall be granted for six regions in the Republic of Macedonia covering the settlements and the territories of the communities as follows: Region 1: city of Skopje, Ilinden, Petrovec, Zelenikovo, Studenicani, Sopiste, Cucer, Sandevo and Aracinovo; Region 2: Kumanovo, Lipkovo, S. Nagoricane, Rankovce, Kriva Palanka, Kratovo, Stip, Vinica, Sveti Nikole, Lozovo, Probistip, Cesinovo-Oblesevo, Karbinci, Zrnovci, Berovo, Pehcevo, Delcevo and M.Kamenica; Region 3: Veles, Caska, Gradsko, Rosoman, Kavadarci, Negotino, Demir Kapija, Strumica, Radovis, Konce, Vasilevo, Bosilevo, Novo Selo, Gevgelija, Valandovo, Bogdanci and Dojran; Region 4: Bitola, Prilep, Demir Hisar, Krusevo, Dolneni, Krivogastani, Mogila, Novaci and Resen; Region 5: Ohrid, Struga, Debarca, Vevcani, Kicevo, M. Brod, Drugovo, Zajas, Oslomej, Vranestica, Plasnica, Debar i Centar Zupa; and, Region 6: Tetovo, Gostivar, Tearce, Jegunovce, Zelino, Brvenica, Bogovinje, Vrapciste, Mavrovo i Rostuse.

The authorisations for radio frequency utilisation subject to this public tender shall be granted for a period of 10 years, with the right of extention the validity of the authorisation in a manner and procedure determined in the Electronic Communications Law.

Bidders must submit a written statement that they will commence their operation within six months from the day of granting the authorisation and within a period of one year shall provide 20% coverage, within two years 40% coverage, and within four years 60% coverage of the population in the Republic of Macedonia, i.e. of the population in the region referred to in the bid, and the minimum available bit rate shall be 512kbit/s for DL and 256kbit/s for UL per user.

The minimum initial amount of the radio frequencies market value as a one-time fee for granting the authorisation for radio frequencies utilisation of item 1 sub-item 1.1 of this tender shall be €200,000.

The minimum initial amount of the radio frequencies market value as one-time fee for granting the authorisation for radio frequencies utilisation of item 1 sub-item 1.2 of this tender per divided regions shall be: Region 1: €100,000; Region 2: €30,000; Region 3: €30,000; Region 4: €20,000; Region 5: €20,000; and, Region 6: €30,000.

The bidder shall be obliged to submit a bank guarantee for 10% of the offered amount of the one-time fee for granting an authorisation for radio frequencies utilisation.

The deadline for submission of the bids is 40 days from the date of publishing the public tender in the “Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia”.

Interested parties may obtain the tender documentation in the archives of the Agency for Electronic Communications from April 25, 2007 after payment of €500 in MK Denars denomination according to the average rate of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia to one of the accounts of the Agency for Electronic Communications as follows: Agency for Electronic Communications. Giro account: 300000002366739. Recipient bank: Komercijalna Banka AD Skopje. Tax number: MK4030005556148; or, Agency for Electronic Communications. Giro account: 210060052840142. Recipient bank: Tutunska Banka AD Skopje. Tax number: MK4030005556148.

Tender No: 02-1771/1.

Additional information is available upon written application via e-mail to: Mrs Liljana Denkovska (legal issues) and Mr Mile Veljanov (technical issues). E-mail: fwatender@aec.mk.

Full details of the tender are available on the Agency's website: www.aec.mk.