The mega auction for the 5G spectrum will enter its fifth day after the 23rd round of bidding ended on Friday. A government official said bids worth nearly Rs 1.5 lakh have been received so far — a new record, up from the previous high of Rs 1.09 lakh crore in the 2015 auction.
The mega 5G spectrum auction had begun on Tuesday with Reliance Jio, Adani Group, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea as participants in the race.
A total of 72 gigahertz (GHz) of 5G airwaves worth Rs 4.3 lakh crore were on offer with a validity period of 20 years in the country's biggest-ever auction of spectrum.
The auction is being held in low (600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz), mid (3300 MHz), and high (26 GHz) frequency bands. Union Minister for Telecom Ashwini Vaishnaw said there was competition in the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz and 26GHz bands.
According to government officials, the premium 700 MHz low band — which offers the highest coverage areawise — received bids for the first time ever.
Telecom sector regulatory framework overhaul
According to sources, Union Minister for Telecom Ashwini Vaishnaw will host a roundtable on Saturday during which he will seek to understand the concerns of investors and financial institutions.
It is also learnt that the government is keen on pitching telecommunications as a sunrise sector, no longer bogged down by legacy issues, and will introduce a 10-point reform agenda to overhaul the legal framework to sort out legacy issue.
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