DoT's top decision-making body okays TRAI's 5G base price suggestions: Rpts

The Digital Communications Commission (DCC), the highest decision-making body of the Department of Telecommunications, on Friday accepted Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) recommendations on the base prices of 5G airwaves, according to a report in the Economic Times.    

While deciding that the spectrum should be auctioned for a period of 20 years, the inter-ministerial panel also decided against alloting spectrum directly to corporate bodies for private 5G networks - as recommended by TRAI - suggesting instead that they join hands with licensed telcos, thereby accepting a key demand of operators. Telcos have been pushing for an auction of the spectrum but while Bharti Airtel has suggested it should be bundled with 5G spectrum, Reliance Jio wants it to go up for auction independently.

The TRAI proposal had come under fire from telcos, who said it would kill the business case for 5G spectrum as it would dent revenue from enterprises.

The Minister of Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday that the DoT is working to resolve industry concerns on 5G.

The auctions , which will pave the way for 5G services in the country, are likely to be held in early June and services are expected to be rolled out by August-September this year.