The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has rescheduled the spectrum auction to June 6, 2024. Earlier, when the NIA (Notice Inviting Application) was released, the date for spectrum auctions was set for May 20, 2024. However, given the fact there are general elections during that time, the DoT has decided to postpone the date. The new date has been set as June 6, 2024.
The date for the mock auction has been pushed ahead to June 3. It is worth noting that this would be the first time that DoT will be publishing an auction catalogue for live auction. Also, this time, the telcos won't have to submit bank guarantees or performance bank guarantees because the same was removed through the relief measures announced by the government for the telecom sector.
Read More - Spectrum Auction 2024: DoT Excludes 700 MHz Frequency Band
The government has decided to not include the 700 MHz band in this auction. This means, for the foreseeable future, it will only be Reliance Jio that will hold access to the 700 MHz frequencies for providing connectivity services to customers.
In the upcoming spectrum auction, telcos are expected to show limited participation. They invested plenty in the previous auctions and this time, they only want airwaves in circles where their existing frequencies will expire shortly. There will be minimum rollout obligations for the 5G spectrum, but Jio and Airtel won't have to worry about that since they have already met it.
Read More - Spectrum Auction 2024: Minimum Rollout Obligation for 5G Spectrum
Vodafone Idea (Vi) and Adani Data Networks are the companies that have not yet met the minimum 5G rollout obligations set by the Department of Telecommunications. Vi has asked for more time from DoT to meet the obligations. The telecom department has the power to penalise Vi for not meeting the rollout obligations, but given the precarious cash situation of the telco, DoT has softened its outlook.
