News
TRAI has released pricing recommendations for its forthcoming 5G auction
The Telecoms Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has offered a helping hand to the country’s beleaguered telecoms sector by slashing the price of 5G compliant spectrum at its forthcoming auction.
According to a report in the Economic Times of India, TRAI has stipulated that the base price for spectrum at the auction should be the higher of 80 per cent of the average value of the spectrum band in the licencing area, or the price it achieved in India’s October 2016 auction.
The regulator has recommended a base price of 3,285 Rupees per megahertz for spectrum in the 1800MHz range, on a pan Indian basis.
Spectrum in the 700Mhz band is to be auctioned off "two times the reserve price of 1800MHz spectrum," which will result in a 42 per cent reduction in the price to Rs6,568 crore per megahertz.
The government has also proposed a reduction in the auction price in specific geographies across India where spectrum has previously remained unsold.
TRAI has yet to name a date for the forthcoming auction, which is widely expected to be held at some point before the end of 2018.
Also in the news:
India’s top telecoms regulator scores a huge own goal on data security
Vodafone and Idea Cellular get green light for merger
Reliance Jio opens up new front in war on Indian telecoms sector
