The industry is gearing up for 5G spectrum auctions and is headed towards the initial launch of 5G by August 15, 2022. To this end, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to speed up its recommendations on pricing of 5G spectrum, possibly before March.
In the letter to TRAI, DoT has also communicated availability of extra spectrum in the 800 MHz, 900 MHz and the 1800 MHz bands. In addition, DoT has communicated availability of additional 34 MHz spectrum across the country in the 900 MHz band, in addition to the 65.2 MHz for which it has already sought the regulator’s pricing recommendations. In the 1800 MHz band, it has made available 10 MHz of spectrum in Haryana.
Meanwhile, the telecom industry has termed the current price of Rs 492 per MHz for 5G spectrum in the 3300 MHz-3600 MHz band, as recommended by TRAI, as exorbitant, and have urged for it to be cut by as much as 95 per cent.
The government has also made it clear that it wouldn’t hesitate to rationalise the price of the coveted airwaves in order to make the availability of services affordable for users.
