The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reiterated to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) that spectrum bands including 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 26 GHz should be put up for auction. Additionally, TRAI will initiate a consultation process to provide recommendations on new spectrum bands, specifically 37-37.5 GHz, 37.5-40 GHz, and 42.5-43.5 GHz.
Due to the current lack of a supporting device ecosystem, TRAI has advised against including the 42.5-43.5 GHz spectrum in the upcoming auction. Instead, the regulator has suggested that DoT seek recommendations on this band at a later stage when the ecosystem is more mature.
For the n260 band (37-40 GHz), TRAI has proposed auctioning the spectrum with a block size of 100 MHz on an Indian Service Area (ISA) basis, with a validity of 20 years. The minimum rollout obligations for this band should align with those prescribed in the 2024 Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for the 26 GHz band. These obligations will apply equally to all telecom service providers, including both existing and new entrants.
In addition to telecom operators, Category ‘A’ and ‘B’ Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) service providers under the Unified License will also be eligible to participate in the auction for the n260 band. Operators will have the flexibility to pay for the spectrum either upfront or in 20 equal annual installments.
