Airtel revs up 5G battle on day 4 to protect its turf in UP (east) from Jio

The government added another ₹232 crore to its kitty from India’s first 5G spectrum auction on Friday, taking its total proceeds to ₹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 ₹135.6 crore for UP (East). The price jumped, said industry trackers, as Bharti Airtel NSE 1.66 % fought with larger rival Reliance NSE 2.13 % Jio to protect its market share in India’s most populous circle with some of its airwaves expiring in 2024.