After backhaul, DoT seeks TRAI's views on pricing for 800/900/1800 MHz, other spectrum bands

Time of India

4 days ago

The government has approached telecom regulator TRAI for recommendations on reserve price and other modalities for the auction of at least nine mainstream spectrum bands, including 800 MHz, 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, that are primarily used for transmitting mobile phone voice and data signals.
Sources told PTI that Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has been asked for its views on 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz and 26 GHz bands, as well. DoT has also urged the telecom regulator to offer fresh recommendations for auction of spectrum in 600 MHz bands. In the last auction in 2024, this particular band - 600 MHz (612-652/663-703) had not been put on the block as it did not find any takers in the 2022 auctions.
"In the ITU Radio regulations also, this band has not been identified at the regional or global level for international mobile telecommunication. It was also decided that fresh consultation with TRAI may be taken before putting up this band for auction...In view of the above, there is a need to re-examine and seek fresh recommendations for the auction of spectrum in the 600 MHz band," DoT has said in its reference to TRAI.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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TRAI has also been asked to look at the possibility of auction for newly identified 6,425-6,725 MHz and 7,025-7,125 MHz bands for recommendations on auction timing, band plan, reserve price, and terms and conditions.
This latest reference by DoT seeks TRAI's recommendations on reserve price, band plan, block size, quantum of spectrum to be auctioned and associated conditions for auction of spectrum in the existing bands -- 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz, 26 GHz bands, sources said.
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In the last auction held in 2024, Sunil Bharti Mittal's Airtel had emerged as the biggest bidder for radio waves, cornering about 60 per cent of the Rs 11,341 crore worth of spectrum sold after two days of bidding in June last year.
While
Bharti Airtel
bid and won airwaves worth Rs 6,856.76 crore, rival Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio - the market leader - had got Rs 973.62 crore worth of spectrum - the least in the three-corner contest. Troubled
Vodafone Idea
had bagged spectrum valued Rs 3,510.4 crore.
In all, 141.4 MHz of radio waves were sold for Rs 11,340.78 crore in the 2024 auction.
The government had offered a total of 10 GHz of spectrum ranging between 800 MHz and 26 GHz, which was worth Rs 96,238 crore at the base or auction start price; However, only a small amount of the spectrum on offer got sold in seven rounds of auction held last year.
On Wednesday, TRAI began the consultation process on another important piece of connectivity - the backhaul spectrum.
TRAI floated a consultation paper for assignment of spectrum in six bands traditionally used for microwave backhaul (between mobile towers), as well as E and V bands, as the regulator sought stakeholder views on aspects like demand, terms and conditions, and charges.
Wednesday's discussion paper -- separate from the latest reference on mainstream mobile access bands -- pertained to the assignment of the microwave spectrum in lower 6 GHz, 7 GHz, 13 GHz, 15 GHz, 18 GHz, 21 GHz Bands, E-Band, and V-Band.