The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has allocated a spectrum to telecom operators, paving the way for the launch of 5G services. The letters for spectrum assignment were issued within hours of telecom operators making payments yesterday.
“Spectrum assignment letter issued. Requesting TSPs to prepare for 5G launch,” Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a post on local-microblogging site Koo.
In fact, the speed at which DoT is processing all the matters related to spectrum auction has drawn praise from Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Mittal too. “Yesterday Airtel paid Rs 8312.4 cr towards spectrum dues and was provided the allocation letter for the designated frequency bands within hours. E band allocation was given along with spectrum as promised. No Fuss, No Follow Up, No running around the corridors, and No tall claims. This is the ease of doing business at work in its full glory. In my over 30 years of first-hand experience with DoT, this is a first! Business as it should be,” Mittal said in a statement.
With the assignment of frequencies, telecom operators can start the work for rolling out 5G networks. Telcos have already placed orders for buying telecom equipment and now will start distributing radios to the identified sites for 5G. The government, as well as telecom operators, are rushing to launch 5G services at the earliest, probably by next month.
The Centre netted Rs 150,173 crore from the sale of 51,236 MHz in the seven-day auction. In all, it had put 72,098 MHz of airwaves on sale.
Market leader Jio was the largest bidder in the 5G airwave auctions that ended on August 1, spending Rs 88,078 crore, while Airtel and Vodafone Idea bought airwaves worth Rs 43,084 crore and Rs 18,799 crore, respectively. First-time bidder Adani Data Networks had won airwaves for Rs 212 crore.
