EGoM on spectrum to meet on Jan 3

The empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on telecom spectrum, headed by Finance P Chidambaram, was scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss details of the auction due this financial year, officials said.

The EGoM would discuss the auction plan prepared by the Department of Telecom (DoT) after the Cabinet approved the sale of unsold GSM spectrum in 1,800 Mhz band and in the premium 900 Mhz spectrum band.

The government is learnt to be preparing fresh plans to auction the radiowaves that can fetch around Rs 39,895 crore. According to the proposal, the government might get around Rs 25,316 crore from the auction in the premium 900 Mhz band, and Rs 14,579 crore from auction of unsold spectrum in the 1,800 Mhz band.

For the CDMA (800 Mhz) band, DoT may propose either to recommend the matter to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India or auction the radiowaves in succession to GSM spectrum.

DoT may sell more spectrum in Delhi, Mumbai, Karnataka and Rajasthan in the 1800 Mhz band, compared to the quantum it had earlier put up for auction that ended on November 14.

“Spectrum held by existing operators, whose licences are coming up for renewal, is also being put for auction,” said an official source. DoT may put 15 Mhz of spectrum in 1800 Mhz band (used for 2G GSM services) amounting to 12 blocks in Delhi and Mumbai for auction at reserve price of Rs 485.15 crore and Rs 474.92 crore per block, respectively, they said.

The government in the previous auction had put up only 10 Mhz for auction, divided in eight blocks of 1.25 Mhz each, for Rs 693.06 crore in Delhi and Rs 678.45 crore in Mumbai which attracted no bidders. In Rajasthan and Karnataka, it will auction same quantity of 11 blocks spectrum at reserve price of Rs 46.96 crore and Rs 231.08 crore, respectively.