Indian Economy News

Spectrum auction: Govt sets 5G ball rolling, calls bids for auctioneer

  • IBEF
  • August 27, 2019

The Union government set the ball rolling for the upcoming spectrum auctions on Monday by inviting bids for selection of agency to conduct the airwave sale in various bands, including 5G, by the end of the year.

Issuing notice for request for proposal (RFP) or tender document, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said the deadline for submission of bids would be September 25.

“Usually from the date of selection of the auctioneer, it takes about 60-90 days for the auctions to commence,” Rajan S Mathews, Director General, Cellular Operators Association of India, said.

The guidelines for auction of spectrum in 700 megahertz (MHz), 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz, 2,500 MHz, and 3,300-3,600 MHz bands will be announced separately, the notice said, while pointing to the availability of 8,093 MHz of airwaves in multiple bands.

“Notice for RFP for selection of agency for conducting e-auction of spectrum in various bands was issued by DoT on August 26,” an official release said.

The auctioneer will design, structure, and implement the overall process of e-auction, according to the government requirement, to achieve the objectives of ensuring a transparent and fair auction and selection process, optimise revenue received, and promote growth of telecom services.

In June this year, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said the government will hold spectrum auction for 5G and other bands in the current calendar year.

The notice issued by DoT on Monday said the bid evaluation will be in three parts pre-qualification, technical, and financial. The normal tenure of the contract for the selected auctioneer would be three years, with provision of a one-year extension by mutual consent, it said.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

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