So, the 5G era is all set to start in India. The Indian Government is all ready to conduct a 5G spectrum auction this year itself. Also, the 700 MHz band, which went unsold in the last auction might well be up for sale again. According to a report from TOI, the first batch of 5G spectrum auction will feature bands over 3000 MHz. The report also cites as “The file has been moved to the telecom ministry, and we will make a reference to TRAI on the issue very soon.”
The new 5G spectrum will only be available in the bands such as 3300 MHz and 3400 Mhz. The upcoming 5G network is said to bring various new applications based on IoT, and these bands have the capability to handle the new technologies.
“These bands have potential when considered from the point of view of where we are headed for, concerning technological progress. We intend to move in early in the adoption of new technologies and also get a response from the industry on the matter,” claims the report.
Also, in the same auction, the previously unsold spectrum in the bands: 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, and 2500 MHz will also be up for a new sale. The 700 MHz spectrum, which got no bids in the previous auction due to the steep price will be up for sale as well, and the report claims that “We have noted the industry feedback, which prices were ‘way too high’ in the last round. These views will be conveyed to Trai so that they can factor this while recommending reserve prices for next sale,”.
According to a recent report by GSM Association, the 5G network will be available to the general public by 2020 and by the end of 2025, there might be more than 1.1 billion global mobile subscribers under 5G. Also, Indian operators, BSNL and Bharti Airtel have joined hands with Finnish gear maker Nokia to deploy the 5G infrastructure and IoT-based applications in the country. Currently, there's no word on when the auction takes place.
