Govt mops up Rs 149,855 crore at end of day 4 of spectrum auctions; to continue Sat from round 24

New Delhi: The government added another Rs232 crore to its kitty from India’s first 5G spectrum auction on Friday, taking its total proceeds to Rs 149,855 crore at the end of day four, driven entirely by the fight for the 1800 MHz in UP (East) which ensured that the action will now move into day five.

The fourth day of the sale saw seven more rounds of bidding, with the per unit price of the 1800 MHz band increasing by 49% over its base price, to Rs135.6 crore for UP (East). The price jumped, said industry trackers, as Bharti Airtel fought with larger rival Reliance Jio to protect its market share in India’s most populous circle with some of its airwaves expiring in 2024.