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