COAI sees India lagging in 5G unless airwaves cost less

Proceeds from the 5G airwaves auction, likely early next year, is an important source of revenue for the Indian exchequer especially as Modi-led government looks to spur the pandemic-hit economy,

India risks lagging in the rollout of the super-fast fifth-generation wireless networks unless the government makes airwaves cheaper in an upcoming auction, a local  telecom industry body said, citing the financial stress in the sector.

“The reserve prices are fixed so high that almost 50-60% of the spectrum may go unsold,” S.P. Kochhar, director general of Cellular Operators Association of India, said in an interview Friday. “It is not viable because we are not passing on the extra price to the consumer as we continue to bleed. We have to reduce our cash outflow and one of the major things money goes into is auctions.”

Proceeds from the 5G airwaves auction, likely early next year, is an important source of revenue for the Indian exchequer especially as the Narendra Modi-led government looks to spur the pandemic-hit economy. Too high a reserve price for spectrum risks putting off wireless operators whose financial health has been battered by a brutal tariff war after the entry of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. in 2016. Most operators since have quit, gone bankrupt or merged.

Lowering the airwaves base price and other government levies have been a longstanding industry demand. The local telecom industry is paying about 32% of its total revenue as levies and taxes and that’s “too high,” said Kochhar. “It’s the highest in the world.”

The government has set the reserve price for 5G airwaves at 4.92 billion rupees ($67.2 million) per megahertz of spectrum in 3,300 to 3,600 Mhz bands which are most suitable for the new technology. Kochhar expects the auction to happen in January or February next year.

No Takers

High reserve prices have hindered airwave sales in some categories in the past. The 700 megahertz band, which is suitable for 5G technology, didn’t receive any bids in the March auction. 

India remains a relative latecomer in the space compared to some countries, including China and South Korea, which already have 5G networks in place.

If the government can “somehow have the right price point for spectrum,” it would boost the growth of 5G network traffic as well as the devices, Bharti Airtel Ltd. Chairman Sunil Mittal said in an investor call Monday. “We need to invest in fiber backhaul now.”

The market leader Jio and Bharti, India’s no. 2 operator, have been conducting 5G trials in preparation for a nationwide roll out once the airwaves are sold. 

Debt-laden Vodafone Idea Ltd. -- the only other private sector wireless operator left in India -- has been posting losses for several quarters and is struggling to stay afloat. Bharti and Vodafone Idea also have to cough out billions in back dues to the government after India’s top court rejected their petitions seeking relief.

“At this point, the payouts in telecom are so excessive that even survival is becoming a problem,” said Kochhar.