New Delhi: A total of 42 rounds of bidding were completed at the end of Day 6 yesterday of the second generation (2G) spectrum or airwaves auction, an official statement said here. The government has received cumulative bids around Rs56,000 crore so far.
Eight mobile phone service providers are participating in the auction for 46 MHz in 900 MHz band and 385 MHz in 1,800 MHz band. At the end of the sixth day of bidding, data released by the department of telecom showed that the 1,800 MHz band received bids in all 22 circles and the 900 MHz band received bids in all three circles, which are up for auction.
Highest demand in 900MHz was seen from Kolkata circle and in 1,800MHz highest demand was seen in Maharashtra and Assam circles. The eight mobile phone service providers participating in the auction are Reliance Communications, Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Telewings, Aircel, Tata Teleservices and Idea Cellular.
Bharti Airtel’s 20-year licence is going to expire in Delhi and Kolkata circles and Vodafone India’s 20-year licences in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata circles are getting over in November this year.
The total spectrum on offer is 46 MHz in 900 MHz band (only Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata) and 385 MHz in 1,800 MHz band (all 22 circles) simultaneously. The government targeted to mop up Rs40,874.50 crore from spectrum auction in 2013-14.
The auctioning of airwaves is done to obtain a market determined price of the spectrum. This auction does not have any last date. It will go on every week from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 7.30pm till the time telecom service providers keep bidding.
The service providers will bid using fixed Internet Protocols (IP) as dynamic IP addresses are not allowed.
IANS
