Mexico’s regulator opened a public consultation into the rules for a delayed 2.5GHz band spectrum auction, with bids starting at MXN350 million ($19.5 million) for each of the six 20MHz blocks available.

The Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFT) is offering licences of 20 years, which can either be used immediately or deferred for up to two years for specific frequencies.

Some 130MHz of clear spectrum will be divided into four 20MHz blocks in the FDD category and two in the TD category. The remaining segments will be allocated as “guard bands” to separate the two technologies.

Time-Division Duplex (TD-LTE) is one of two variants of LTE technology alongside Frequency-Division Duplex (FDD), which use unpaired and paired spectrum respectively.

In a statement, the IFT said the allocation would: “Allow for better mobile service and much higher rates of data transfer.”

The consultation closes on 4 September, though no date for the start of the auction itself was revealed.

Mexico’s auction for the 2.5GHz band was originally scheduled for the second half of 2016, but was postponed to Q3 2017 by the IFT in a bid to drum up greater competition for the airwaves.

At the time, the regulator said it wanted to wait until the completion of a tender for the country’s wholesale network – a process completed during March.