Push for 5G auction

The new government is pressing ahead with the auction of 5G spectrum within six months, despite the industry showing little interest in the sale on account of exorbitant base prices.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, the newly appointed telecom minister, said the government would hold a mega spectrum auction, including 5G, and that 5G trials would start within the next 100 days.

“I am of the belief that in the current calendar year, we will auction spectrum. We have adequate spectrum available,” he said after taking charge of the ministry.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has recommended the auction of about 8,644 MHz of spectrum, including those for 5G services, at an estimated total base price of Rs 4.9 lakh crore.