After the grand success of 3G spectrum auction, the ongoing bidding for broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum also seems to be heading for an exciting finish. On the second day of the auction on Tuesday, the price of pan-India licence touched Rs. 3,200 crore against the reserve price of Rs. 1,750 crore.
On the first day on Monday, the price of a national BWA licence had crossed Rs. 2,300-crore mark, assuring the government Rs. 4,700 crore as minimum revenue from the process.
There are just two slots for national licence for which 11 players, including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, Reliance Communications and the Tata group, are in the fray for 22 circles. The provisional winning price for seven circles stood at Rs. 332.96 crore each. These circles are: Delhi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Alike the 3G spectrum auction, Delhi and Mumbai circles are likely to remain hot favourites among the bidders.
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The Centre is hoping another windfall from BWA spectrum after the massive bidding for 3G spectrum where the government fetched over Rs. 67,000 crore against the estimated Rs. 35,000 crore (for both 3G and BWA spectrum auction). Interestingly, those who have been unsuccessful in the 3G auction will try hard to emerge winner in the BWA auction.
Other players who are participating in the BWA auction include Idea Cellular, Aircel, Augere Mauritius, Infotel Broadband Services, Qualcomm, Spice Internet Service Provider and Tikona Digital Networks.