Trai Lowers the Price of 700 Mhz Band by 43% to Attract Buyers

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has suggested a base price of Rs 3,285 crore per megahertz for paired spectrum in 1800 Mhz band.

For the premium 700 Mhz band, Trai has said that its “reserve price…should be equal to 2 times of reserve price of 1800 MHz spectrum band”, resulting in about 43% reduction in the price of this band to Rs 6,568 crore per Mhz for paired spectrum.

In 2016, the government had fixed the base price of 700 Mhz band at Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz, which was around four times the price of 1800 Mhz band. Operators were required to buy radiowaves worth Rs 57,425 crore to provide mobile service in this band.

The cost of providing mobile services in 2G, 3G and 4G technology is estimated to be around a-third of service provisioning in 1800 Mhz band.

About Rs 4 lakh crore of 700 Mhz spectrum was put for auction, but there were no takers for this band due to its high price.

If Trai recommendations are approved by the government, then telecom operators in the next round will have shell out a minimum of Rs 32,840 crore for providing services in the 700 Mhz band on pan India basis.

The regulator has suggested using higher of the two figures 80% of the average valuation of spectrum band in the licensed service area or the price realised in the October 2016 auction for calculating the base price of radiowaves in 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, 1800 Mhz and 2100 Mhz bands.

Trai has recommended base price of Rs 4,651 crore for paired spectrum in 800 Mhz band covering 19 circles, Rs 1,622 crore per Mhz for 900 Mhz band covering seven circles, Rs 3,399 crore per Mhz of in 2100 Mhz covering 21 circles and Rs 821 crore per Mhz in 2500 Mhz band covering 12 circles.

The regulator has recommended Rs 960 crore per Mhz for unpaired spectrum in 2300 Mhz band on the pan-India basis.

While all the spectrum at present can be used for 4G and 5G, experts have suggested the use of higher frequency bands like 3300-3600 Mhz for 5G services.

To avoid monopolisation of suggested 5G spectrum band, Trai has recommended a limit of 100 MHz per bidder and also “the lock-in period for spectrum in this band for becoming eligible for spectrum trading should be five years” instead of 2 years applicable for other bands, as reported by PTI.

It has suggested no time bound network roll out the obligation for buyers of the potential 5G spectrum.

Trai has recommended that the telecom operators buying spectrum 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz and 1800 Mhz need to roll out network across 60% of district headquarters (DHQs) or town by the end of three years and 30% of block headquarters by the end of 5 years from the effective date of licence or the date of assignment of spectrum won in the auction process.

Successful bidders of 2100 Mhz band, earlier known as 3G spectrum, will have to roll out the network in 70% of DHQ by the end of 5 years, according to the recommendation.

The regulator has recommended that in case a company has closed 2G GSM or CDMA services, it cannot hold the administratively (without auction) assigned spectrum for which it has not paid the market determined price.

“Any such spectrum lying with TSPs (telecom service providers) should be taken back and put to auction in the forthcoming auction,” Trai said.

Its has reiterated need for an urgent audit of all allocated spectrum, both commercial as well as the one given to various public sector units and government organisations through an independent agency on a regular basis.