Anatel, Brazil’s telecom regulator, late last week canceled its planned auction of band E wireless licenses after receiving no bids.
In March, Anatel managed to sell only one of the regions included in the band E auction when Telecom Italia Mobile purchased region one for $438 million. There were no bidders for the other two regions, Sao Paulo state and the central/south region.
Anatel’s PCS auction process has been marked by delays and disappointments. Its planned auction of band C licenses in January also drew no bidders and was postponed until July.
In February, Anatel raised $1.3 billion from the sale of two band D licenses.
The auction of the band E licenses was scheduled to take place June 5. Anatel originally planned to sell the licenses May 8.
Tele Norte Leste Participacoes S.A., or Telemar, Brazil’s largest phone company, was the only company expected to make a bid for the band E licenses, but it failed to submit a proposal.
Anatel said it will re-evaluate the process and timeframe for selling the licenses.
Anatel plans to auction band C licenses in July.
The Brazilian government had hoped to raise $3.2 billion through the auction of PCS licenses in bands C, D and E when it announced auction plans last fall.
