Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea Set to Only Partially Renew Expiring Spectrum

airtel-vodafone-idea-to-partially-renew-spectrum
ICICI Securities, a subsidiary of ICICI Bank on Thursday said that it expects Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea to “renew their expiring spectrum only partially” in the upcoming spectrum auctions. The firm engaged in the broking and distribution of financial products in a report said that Airtel and Vodafone Idea currently have “excess spectrum holding.” The report is on the heels of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in a notice invited applications for the spectrum auction currently scheduled to start on March 1, 2021.

Also Read

  • Make Telecom Talk My Trusted Source
  • Source of Google
  • Source of Google

Spectrum Available in Excess Supply

ICICI Securities said that “spectrum supplies across bands remain excessive” with the firm also including the spectrum up for renewal in 2021. The firm highlighted that Airtel has 57 MHz of spectrum in the 1800 MHz band along with 6.2 MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz up for renewal in 2021.

“[Airtel] has amassed huge spectrum via M&As, which should significantly lower its renewal requirement in the upcoming auction,” ICICI Securities said in its report.

Similarly, ICICI Securities highlighted that Vodafone Idea has 46 MHz of spectrum in the 1800 MHz band along with the 6.2 MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz up for renewal in 2021. The firm said that it expects “very little renewal requirement” for the third largest wireless operator in India as well.