Cabinet sets base price of 37.05 bln rupees per megahertz for 2100 spectrum auction

REUTERS - The cabinet set a base price of 37.05 billion rupees ($603.98 million) for every megahertz (MHz) of nationwide spectrum in the 2100 megahertz spectrum auction, the telecoms minister said on Wednesday.

Earlier in January, the government had said it expects to raise 648.40 billion rupees from an auction of various mobile phone airwaves, intended to help carriers expand their services in a fast-growing market and the government to bolster its strained finances. The governemnt had then said it would announce details on the 2,100 MHz airwaves eventually.

($1 = 61.3430 rupees)

(Reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee in Mumbai; Editing by Sunil Nair)