DoT Proposes New Spectrum-Sharing Rules to Unlock Unused Airwaves

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has proposed allowing one-way spectrum sharing among telecom operators, a move aimed at enabling companies to monetise and efficiently deploy unused airwaves, according to a draft notification published by the Ministry of Communications. The draft Telecommunications (Sharing, Trading, and Leasing of Spectrum) Rules, 2025—released on December 1, 2025—marks a shift from the current framework, which permits sharing only within the same frequency band and requires prior government approval.

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Cross-Band Sharing Allowed

Under the proposed changes, operators will be allowed to share spectrum across different frequency bands as long as they fall within the same category and telecom circle.

“Sharing of right to use access spectrum may be permitted in a service area…in respect of authorised entities holding same category of authorisation in the same service area …within each spectrum band category,” the draft Telecommunications (Sharing, Trading, and Leasing of Spectrum) Rules, 2025, released on December 1, said.

The draft outlines four spectrum categories: Sub-1 GHz (Category 1), two mid-band groups—Frequency Division Duplex and Time Division Duplex (Categories 2 and 3)—and high-band spectrum (Category 4). For captive 5G networks, no category restrictions will apply.

Eligibility Requirements

“An authorised entity seeking to undertake sharing of right to use access spectrum under these rules, should have held eighty per cent of its spectrum holding in the spectrum band proposed to be shared in a service area, for a period of two years from the date of obtaining such spectrum,” the draft states.