Despite early and repetitive delays, Pakistan Electronic Media Regularity Authority (PEMRA) has now finally set a date to starts bids for Direct to Home (DTH) license authorities on November 23. According to a report, many companies have sent applications to participate in the auction to be able to bid for the license.
As of now, a total number of 16 companies have submitted applications. Previously, the report states that only 9 companies had optioned to be a part of the event. PEMRA has announced to auction 3 licenses for DTH services, with conditions that the companies which are bidding for it are eligible.
Application scrutiny has already started, with 7 new companies being a part of this event, they include:
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- Orient Electronics
- Mag Entertainment
- Skyfkix
- Start Times Communications Pakistan
- Vision Broadcast
- Link Dot Net Pakistan
- World Call Telecom
Previously 9 companies applied to participate in the auction, they include:
- Sardar Builders (Pvt.) Limited.
- Parus Media & Broadcast (Pvt.) Limited.
- Mastro Media Distribution (Pvt.) Limited.
- HB DTH (Pvt.) Limited.
- IQ Communications (Pvt.) Limited.
- Nayatel (Pvt.) Limited.
- Shahzad CGG (Pvt.) Limited.
- Sharif Feed Mills (Pvt.) Limited
- SMART SKY (subsidiary of PTCL)
PEMRA said that the second phase of scrutiny of new applications will be completed soon.
UPDATE:
For several days the cable operators began holding press conferences in order to cancel the DTH license and disrupt the launch of services for the next three years. However, regardless of the cable operators’ threats, PERMA is ready for the auction of DTH licenses on the 23rd of November 2016.
PERMA has shortlisted 12 companies out of a total of 16 which applied to participate in the auction and those are:
- M/s. Orient Electronics (Pvt.) Ltd., Lahore
- M/s. Mag Entertainment (Pvt.) Ltd., Lahore.
- M/s. Skyflix (Pvt.) Ltd., Islamabad.
- M/s. Startimes Communications (Pvt.) Ltd., Islamabad.
- M/s. Sardar Builders (Pvt.) Ltd., Islamabad.
- M/s. Smart Sky (Pvt.) Ltd., Islamabad.
- M/s. Parus Media & Broadcast (Pvt.) Ltd., Islamabad.
- M/s. Naya Tel (Pvt.) Ltd., Islamabad.
- M/s. Mastro Media Distribution (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad.
- M/s. Shahzad Sky (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad (formerly M/s Shahzad CGG (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad).
- M/s. HB DTH (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad.
- M/s IQ Communication (Pvt.) Ltd. Karachi.
The four below were not shortlisted:
- Vision Broadcast
- Link Dot Net Pakistan,
- World Call Telecom
- Sharif Feed Mills (Pvt.) Limited
PERMA stated that the auction will provide three licenses for DTH services and all these companies that have been shortlisted are not guaranteed the license, but can participate in the bidding. Only those successful bidders will be granted the license if they can pay the required fees, have been approved by PERMA and fulfill all legal requirements.
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