Spectrum Auction: DoT to issue notice of inviting applications

Department of Telecom likely to issue Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) from telecom companies for auction process from Monday, Aseem Manchanda reports. 

According to a source, earlier, the telecom department was expected to start asking for applications from companies from July 1. This is considered to be the biggest spectrum auction. The auction is likely to begin from October 1.

The DoT started the issuance of NIA for spectrum auction after last week the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the rates of Spectrum Usage Charge (SUC) for various bands of spectrum for which auction are going to be conducted.

The cabinet decided that the "spectrum acquired in the forthcoming auction in 700, 800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2300 & 2500 MHz band is to be charged at the rate of 3% of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) excluding the revenue from wire-line services".

As ZeeBiz had earlier reported, the telecom department is going to launch mega spectrum auction worth Rs 5.66 lakh crore. The government expects to raise at least Rs 64,000 crore from the auction of about 2,300 Mhz of spectrum and Rs 98,995 crore from various levies and services in the telecom sector.

In June, Union Cabinet had approved the mega-spectrum auction guidelines. The government will auction spectrum with 700 megahertz (MHz), 800 MHZ, 1,800 MHz and 2,100 MHz bands.  

The spectrum with 700 MHz will be auctioned for the first time and its one slot is expected to be priced at Rs 57,425 crore.