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Andrew Bonwick
Vice President of Product Development at Relm Insurance
Madhav Sheth
CEO of Ai+ Smartphone
Stephen Rose
CEO Render Networks
The upcoming mega spectrum auctions may be pushed by a few days, following a request from the telecom players to delay the auctions by a few days to coincide with the navratras, a period considered auspicious by Hindus. The navratras are due to commence on October 1.
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The government is not averse to the proposal and is willing to defer the auctions that are due to begin on September 29. Telecom Secretary J S Deepak told media that the department is currently considering the industry’s proposal.
“The date of auction we had announced from September 29, but many companies and people feel that the Navratra is starting from October 1, that is a good time to bid. If it gives them good comfort to bid and spend more money to buy the spectrum, we are willing to change it to the first week,” Telecom Secretary J S Deepak was quoted as saying by various publications.
The government will sell a record 2,354 MHz of mobile airwaves across seven bands at the upcoming auctions, which are being seen as critical for some telecom players like Vodafone India, which lags behind in terms of 4G spectrum holdings.
The Indian telcos have not shown great enthusiasm so far for the upcoming round, citing high reserve price for certain spectrum bands.
“We are selling a lot of good quality spectrum, so prices will be high,” Deepak said, adding that “almost all” the companies participated in a pre-bid meeting held recently.
