A senior official from the telecom department said that if by March, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) submits the recommendations on the rules regarding the sale process, the long-awaited 5G spectrum auction shall see the light of the day in May.
TRAI has informed that it will submit its recommendations for the 5G auction by March, said Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw earlier this month. Simultaneously, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is firming up other processes to hold the auction at the earliest.
Telecom Secretary K Rajaraman told PTI that Trai has indicated that they will send it (recommendations) by March and thereafter, it will take them a month to make a decision around it. After receiving recommendations from Trai on spectrum auction, the government has taken time of 60-120 days to start the bidding rounds in the auction. Earlier, the government has taken time of 60-120 days to start the bidding rounds in the auction after receiving recommendations from Trai on spectrum auction.
Once DoT gets recommendations from the TRAI, it will take the DoT two months to start the auction said Rajaraman. The download speed of 5G is going to be 10 times faster than 4G services, according to the DoT.
TRAI Consults Before Suggesting Anything To DoT
TRAI is suggesting DoT on price of the spectrum, method of allocation, block size of spectrum and payment terms and conditions. Before submitting the recommendations to DoT, TRAI consults the same with the industry and other stakeholders.
The Digital Communications Commission (formerly the Telecom Commission), which is the apex decision making body at the DoT, takes the decision on Trai recommendations and then approaches the Cabinet for the final approval. As the auctioneer for the upcoming auction, the DoT has already selected MSTC said Rajaraman.
What Shall Be The Launch Date?
Trai has given participants in 5G spectrum consultation to submit their additional comments by February 15 after which it will review and come up with recommendations. Telecom operators have demanded up to 95 per cent cut in the spectrum frequency band price.
When it comes to the rules for the 5G spectrum auction, both, telecom and satellite players are locking horns with each other. Telecom operators have demanded up to 95 per cent cut in the spectrum frequency band price.