The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has sought recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on pricing and other modalities for the auction of E and V band spectrum.
According to officials, while DoT plans to auction the bands for backhaul and mobile services, it has suggested to TRAI that a certain quantum in the V band should be delicensed or allotted without auctions for indoor coverage. The DoT has stressed that any delicensed spectrum can be used only for indoor coverage while companies must buy spectrum in an auction for outside mobility services and backhaul.
Currently, the DoT has decided to provisionally allocate the E band to telecom operators for backhaul purposes. Telcos will need to give an undertaking that whenever the auction for this band happens, they will pay the market-determined price for it.
