Pan India 4G - LTE service license holder Reliance JIO Infocomm (RJIL), Idea Cellular and Uninor (TeleWings) today submitted their applications for taking part in the 900mhz and 1800mhz GSM spectrum auction scheduled for February 3, 2014.
The Auction of Spectrum will be a big bang now for all leading GSM players like Vodafone, Airtel, because Reliance Jio has applies for both band - premium 900 and 1800mhz GSM spectrum. Vodafone India's three circles licence (Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata) Bharti Airtel's in Delhi and Kolkata, and Loop Mobile's licence in Mumbai are due to expire this November 2014.
Reliance Jio has pan-India 4G spectrum and licenses and all set to launch its nationwide 4G services soon.
Our sources confirms that GSM operator Videocon and Loop Mobile or Loop Telecom and Pure CDMA player MTS India would stay away from the race or decides not to participate in auction of spectrum scheduled for February 3, 2014.
The GSM 1800 Mhz band is being put up for auction as per the Supreme Court order that the Government sell all spectrum that was freed from the cancellation of 122 licences on February 2, 2012 in the 2G spectrum scam.
While the premium GSM 900 Mhz is being auctioned in the in three metros - Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata - as the current lincences of mobile operators - GSM biggies namely Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India and Loop Mobile (Mumbai) will expire in November, 2014.
State-owned telecom operators BSNL and MTNL have also not applied for the bidding, as Govt Operators are not allowed to bid for auction of spectrum.
Today i.e. 15th January is the last date for submitting the applications for Spectrum and telecom companies/ mobile operators have the option to withdraw them by January 27, 2014.
