The government has approved the sale of spectrum across eight frequencies with a reserve price of Rs 96,318 crore, aiming to enhance consumer mobile services and facilitate 5G expansion in the country. The cabinet also decided to allot spectrum for safety of railway and metro passengers, apart from re-farming of the airwaves for better utilisation of the natural resource.
Auction Details
Auctions will be held across the frequencies of 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 26 GHz. The government also said spectrum held by certain companies – which are undergoing insolvency – will be expiring later this year and would also be put to auction. In 2022, the government had sold 5G spectrum which fetched a record Rs 1.5 lakh crore for the exchequer after seven days of bidding .
Spectrum for Rail Safety
On spectrum for safety of railway/metro passengers, the government had earlier assigned 5 MHz spectrum in the 700 MHz band for deployment of Kavach, which is an automatic train protection system. It had provisionally assigned 5 MHz spectrum for National Capital Region Transport Corporation. “It has been decided that this 5 MHz spectrum will be assigned to multiple regional and urban rail-based transit systems. Considering the additional requirement for national rollout of Kavach, additional 5 MHz in 700 MHz spectrum will be reserved for Railways. This will improve passenger safety and operations of these transportation systems,” an official statement said .
Spectrum Reforms
As part of spectrum reforms, the government said a committee will be set up – chaired by the Cabinet Secretary – to finalise plans for re-farming of certain spectrum bands. The committee will have representatives from relevant stakeholders .
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