In Short:
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has chosen Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio as the final bidders for the 5G spectrum auction worth Rs 963.17 billion across 8 bands. Airtel deposited Rs 10.5 billion, Vi deposited Rs 3 billion, and Jio deposited Rs 30 billion as Earnest Money. Companies with licenses expiring in 2024 and no previous spectrum will be considered as new entrants. The net worth eligibility for bidders is Rs 1 billion per licensed service area, except for Jammu & Kashmir and Northeast. The auction included airwaves in various bands except for 700 MHz due to limited supply.
Exciting News in Telecom Sector!
Guess what! The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has just announced the final bidders for the much-awaited spectrum auction, and the lineup looks promising!
Key Players:
- Bharti Airtel
- Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi)
- Reliance Jio
These giants are set to compete for a whopping 10,523.15 MHz of 5G airwaves valued at a staggering Rs 963.17 billion across eight crucial bands. Talk about a high-stakes game!
Numbers Talk:
Here’s a breakdown of the earnest money deposit (EMD) amounts and eligibility points for each player:
- Airtel: EMD of Rs 10.5 billion, 7,613 points
- Vi: EMD of Rs 3 billion, 2,200 points
- Jio: EMD of Rs 30 billion, 21,363 points
New Entrants:
Exciting news for companies with expiring licenses and spectrum in 2024! They will be treated as new entrants if they haven’t acquired spectrum in previous auctions in a specific circle or band.
Net Worth Eligibility:
DoT has set the net worth eligibility at Rs 1 billion per licensed service area (LSA), except for Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast circles where the requirement is Rs 500 million. It’s all about playing by the rules!
Spectrum Auction:
The auction covered a wide range of bands, including 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 26 GHz. However, the highly-coveted 700 MHz 5G airwaves weren’t up for grabs this time due to limited supply. The plot thickens!
