Need to review 5G spectrum pricing, Parliament panel tells DoT

The government must look into the high reserve prices of spectrum for 5G wireless service considering the stress in the telecom sector and India’s underdeveloped ecosystem for a rollout, according to a committee report tabled in Parliament on Monday.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) recommended that ₹492 crore should be set as the base price for per MHz of spectrum in the 3,300-3,600MHz bands, ideal for 5G.

While telecom operators are of the view that the base price for 5G spectrum is exorbitant in India versus in other countries, the sector regulator believes that the pricing is among the lowest in the world. The panel noted the diverging views of telcos and the regulator and said, “there is a need to revisit the nuances of spectrum pricing in other countries”.