Consultation process on for next round of spectrum auction

HYDERABAD: (AP):03-02-2014: As the Government expects to garner over Rs 11300 Crores in spectrum auctioning that began on Monday, with eight tecom firms in fray. The Department of Telecom has put on auction of around 385 MHz of radiowaves in the 1800 MHz band, and 46 MHz in the 900 MHz band, on Feb. 3, 2014. Photo:P.V.Sivakumar

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), on Thursday, began the consultation process for the next round of auctions for spectrum held by mobile operators as the licences of some of them will expire in 2015-16.

Revenue target

If the process goes as per the envisaged timeline, the auctions could be held in February next year, in time to help meet the government’s revenue target of Rs.45,471 crore from communication services. Of this, at least Rs.9,355 crore is expected from the auction of 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz and 1800 Mhz bands. The key issues were contiguity of spectrum, block size, valuation of reserve price of spectrum in 900/1800 Mhz band of which 184 Mhz would be in the 900 MHz band and 104 MHz in the 1800 Mhz band, said the TRAI in a statement.

September 8 will be the last date for receiving comments from stakeholders and September 15 is the deadline for submitting counter comments to TRAI which will be followed by open house discussions on September 22.

By the end of next year, four licences of Bharti Airtel, seven each of Idea Cellular and Reliance Telecom and six of Vodafone will complete 20 years and will have to be renewed. In April 2016, two permits each of Bharti and Idea will come up for renewal.

The last auction held in February garnered the exchequer over Rs.60,000 crore.