Spectrum for 4G to be auctioned off in March

India plans to auction Rs3.92 lakh crore worth of airwaves suitable for fourth-generation (4G) mobile networks in March after a gap of more than four years, as the government seeks to raise resources to fund infrastructure spending and carry out a nationwide vaccination programme.

The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved the auction of 2,251 megahertz (MHz) of spectrum, telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. The government will auction spectrum in the 700MHz, 800MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz, 2300MHz and 2500MHz bands, some of which are touted as the most efficient for 4G services.

Spectrum in the 3300-3600MHz bands, recommended by the telecom regulator for fifth-generation (5G) networks, have not been included in the proposed auction.