French telecom regulator, Arcep, has received bids from four of the mobile operators in France for the fourth-generation (4G) mobile spectrum being auctioned by the country.

As per reports, regulatory authority ARCEP said that bids have been submitted by France Telecom, Vivendi’s SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Iliad in order to acquire some of the 4G spectrum being auctioned from the 2.6 gigahertz spectrum band. However, details regarding the share of the spectrum or the price required to be paid were not clarified. Further, ARCEP said that the outcome of the auction for the lower-quality band will probably be announced before mid-October 2011. Bids for the higher-quality 800 megahertz band, which will be sold for a greater price, are due by December 15, with licenses expected to be awarded in 2015.

France expects to raise at least $ 3.4 billion from the 4G spectrum auction. Operators seek to acquire 4G rights as it enables them to offer their subscribers faster download speeds and a better internet experience.