TRAI releases paper seeking views of 5G reserve prices

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Telecom regulator TRAI has released a consultation paper seeking views from stakeholders on crucial issues including valuation and reserve price of 5G airwaves.

Consultation paper

A set of 74 questions in the consultation paper seeks views on spectrum block size, quantum to be sold, spectrum cap, surrender or airwaves, eligibility, among other critical issues, according to a report that appeared in the Times of India.

The paper touches upon a wide range of issues concerning the telecom sector. The TRAI paper analyses in detail the bailout package extended to the sector by the government, and the fast emerging technologies.

Spectrum auction

According to telecom minister Ashwini Vashnaw, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is expected to come out with its final set of recommendations by March next year and auctions can be held by around April-May.

In the last spectrum auctions held in March this year, about 63% of the total airwaves remained unsold. Industry body COAI and individual players had attributed this to high reserve price. The government raked in winning bids of over Rs 77,800 crore for 855.6MHz of spectrum in the last round of auctions.

According to the Times of India, guidelines will be worked out for new frequencies such as 526-698MHz and millimetre band, i.e., 24.25-28.5GHz, in addition to bands such as 700MHz, 800MHz, 900MHz, 1800-MHz, 2100MHz, 2300MHz, 2500MHz & 3300-3670MHz.

According to TRAI, provisions of the reforms package, including those related to surrender of spectrum, rationalisation of bank guarantees will be taken into consideration while working on spectrum valuation.