Dhaka: State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim on Wednesday said the 4G service will be launched by December this year aiming to ensure the fastest data service for mobile phone subscribers.

The junior minister came up with the announcement while talking to reporters at a press conference at her office in the morning.

The tender processing for taking part in the 4G service auction will be finished by November, she said.

The government will earn revenue of Tk 11 crore from the auction, said Tarana, adding, ‘We are committed to launch the service within December this year.’

After launching the service in December, the existing mobile phone operators have to distribute the network in the divisional towns within nine months while the new operators will get 16 months in this regard, she added.

The operators will get nine months more to extend the service to 30 per cent internet users of the district level, said Tarana.

In the third phase, the operators must provide the 4G network throughout the country within 36 months since the launching period, she mentioned.

Replying to a query, Tarana said the current mobile phone operators can’t provide 3G service properly as they didn’t purchase necessary spectrum.