The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has sent its final draft plan of the forthcoming spectrum auction to the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Finance to seek their views. Once the draft note has been reviewed by the two ministries, it will be sent to the Cabinet for final approval.
The government is planning to auction spectrum in the 800 MHz, the 900 MHz and the 1800 MHz bands in February 2015. Also, it is planning to put spectrum in 2100 MHz band for sale in the February auction. However, given the issue on the amount of spectrum to be put up for auctions in the 2100 MHz band, the telecom department has sent its draft auction plan to the Defence ministry as well. Since 2009, DoT and the defence ministry have been continuously working on a plan to get some spectrum freed from the 2100 MHz band for commercial mobile services as part of the agreement signed between the two entities.
Recently, the defence ministry agreed to vacate 15 MHz spectrum in the 2100 MHz band and the freed spectrum is expected to be put up for auction. In return, the telecom department will give 15 MHz of spectrum in the 1900 MHz band to the defence forces.
