On the first day of the spectrum auction, which featured five rounds of bidding, telecom service providers placed bids totaling approximately Rs 11,000 crore. The government has put over 10,500 MHz of spectrum, including airwaves for 5G services valued at Rs 96,238 crore, up for auction.
According to the Day 1 spectrum auction report from the Department of Telecom, bidding primarily occurred in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands. Out of the 10,523 MHz available, 94.4 MHz of spectrum was sold on the first day. The auction will resume on Wednesday, June 26.
Breaking: Govt received approx 11,000 crs worth bids on 1st day of Spectrum Auction. pic.twitter.com/dOqLO7itZc
— Aseem Manchanda (@aseemmanchanda) June 25, 2024
Telecom expert Parag Kar’s analysis revealed that on the first day, telecom companies acquired 41 MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz band for Rs 4,465 crore, 48.4 MHz in the 1800 MHz band for Rs 6,306.2 crore, and 5 MHz in the 2100 MHz band for Rs 360 crore.
Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea are participating in the auction. Jio has deposited the highest earnest money of Rs 3,000 crore, giving it the capacity to bid for the most spectrum among the three companies. Airtel has submitted an earnest money deposit (EMD) of Rs 1,050 crore, while VIL has deposited Rs 300 crore.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing private telecom companies, stated that the auction would facilitate the rapid rollout of 5G services across the country, enhancing coverage and connectivity.
“The 5G auctions will catalyze the rapid rollout of 5G services across the country, leading to enhanced coverage and vastly improved connectivity. Moreover, successful deployment of 5G will be a major stride towards achieving digital inclusion,” said SP Kochhar, director-general of COAI, in a statement.
This is the 10th spectrum auction since the process began with online bidding in 2010. The last auction, held in August 2022, was the first to include radio waves for 5G services and generated over Rs 1.5 lakh crore ($18 billion) from the country’s top three mobile operators and newcomer Adani Group.
