Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi) and Bharti Airtel have reportedly raised concerns over India’s current Spectrum Surrender Guidelines, calling for more flexible and equitable terms in light of changing market conditions. The guidelines, which came into effect in June 2022, allow operators to surrender spectrum without future payment obligations, but do not permit refunds or adjustments for any upfront or past instalment payments already made.
Vi has argued that the policy is inequitable for operators that acquired spectrum at market-linked auction prices before 2022. The company has stated that the surrender facility should apply uniformly to spectrum bought in all auction years, not just post-2022 acquisitions. It has urged the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to advise the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to revise the policy, noting that differential treatment based on auction timelines limits operators’ financial flexibility and discourages optimal spectrum utilisation.
Meanwhile, Airtel has centred its position on financial fairness. It has requested that the regulatory framework allow for either a refund or an offset of previously paid spectrum charges if the surrendered airwaves are relinquished. Airtel has highlighted that the absence of any refund or adjustment mechanism places operators who made significant upfront payments at a disadvantage. The company has suggested that, at minimum, the value of surrendered spectrum should be set off against future instalments or dues related to subsequent spectrum purchases, aligning the policy with global precedents and supporting efficient spectrum reallocation.
