5G spectrum auction on the way: Jio, Airtel, Vi, Adani Data Networks in the fray
The 5G spectrum auction will take place and the Centre is expected to earn around Rs 1-1.1 lakh crore from it. 72 gigahertz (GHz) of the spectrum – with about 72,000 megahertz (MHz) under nine bands with a validity period of 20 years — worth Rs 4.3 lakh — will go on sale in this auction.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet approved the auction of 5G spectrum on June 15 and allowed non-telecom service providers to bid for spectrum to set up captive 5G networks in India.
Auction will be held for radio waves in low-frequency bands (600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz and 2,300 MHz), mid (3,300 MHz) and high-frequency bands (26 GHz). 5G services will be rolled out in 13 major cities as part of the first phase. These cities are Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Gurugram, Kolkata, Lucknow, Pune, Chennai, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Jamnagar, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh.
Reliance Jio has made Rs 14,000 crore worth earnest money deposit (EMD) whereas Adani Group paid Rs 100 crore as EMD. Bharti Airtel paid an EMD of Rs 5,500 crore whereas Vodafone Idea put in Rs 2,200 crore.
