Telecom giants Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea have officially submitted their applications to participate in the upcoming spectrum auction, set to commence on June 6, according to reliable sources familiar with the matter.
Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea Set to Vie for Spectrum
The absence of any new contenders marks a departure from the surprise bid made by the Adani Group firm during the previous auction held in 2022.
An official source confirmed the participation of Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea in the spectrum auction, indicating the industry’s keen interest in acquiring additional spectrum bandwidth to bolster their mobile phone services.
The auction, organized by the government, will feature eight spectrum bands earmarked for mobile phone services, with a base price set at approximately Rs 96,317 crore. These bands encompass a wide range of frequencies, including the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz, 2,500 MHz, 3,300 MHz, and 26 GHz bands, collectively valued at the aforementioned base price.
Successful bidders in the auction will secure spectrum rights for a duration of 20 years, with the option to make payments in 20 equal annual installments. Additionally, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has outlined provisions allowing bidders to surrender acquired spectrum after a minimum tenure of 10 years.
The DoT is slated to unveil ownership details of the applicants on May 10, with a deadline for withdrawal of applications set for May 17. The final list of participating bidders will be officially declared on May 20, marking a critical milestone in the lead-up to the highly anticipated spectrum auction.
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