Bahrain Broadband, a company registered in Bahrain, is the sole bidder for the GSM 1800Mhz guard band service for the kingdom.

Lebanese company Kleos has a 49 per cent stake in Bahrain Broadband.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said yesterday that it has received two registrations of interest in the auction process, but only received one bid.

TRA confirmed the bid to be compliant with the rules and agreed Bahrain Broadband as a qualified bidder.

The financial bid will now be opened at an event at the Crowne Plaza on Sunday to assess its financial competence.

'Bahrain Broadband has indicated that it has already invested more than BD300,000 ($795,862) in bringing to Bahrain advanced wireless technology and conducting extensive trials, supervised by TRA, to demonstrate that it does not interfere with other wireless based services including the operations of mobile licensees,' said TRA general director Alan Horne.

The use of the GSM Guard Band frequencies will allow important niche services to be provided, which require wireless connection, including broadband, home delivery services, telemetry services for fleet vehicles, public utilities and wireless security.-TradeArabia News Service