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In a boost to Elon Musk's <keyword id="20034452" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="starlink" source="keywords">Starlink</keyword>, Communications Minister Scindia has said the spectrum for satellite broadband will be allocated and not auctioned as sought by Indian billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Mittal. The satellite broadband spectrum will however be not given free and sector regulator Trai will fix a price for the resource, he told PTI in a text and video interview. "Every country has to follow the <keyword id="20848482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-telecommunications-union" source="keywords">International Telecommunications Union</keyword> (ITU), which is the organisation that lays out the policy for spectrum in space or satellites, and the ITU has been very clear in terms of the spectrum being given out on an assignment basis. In addition, if you look across the world today, I cannot think of a single country that auctions spectrum for satellite," Scindia said. India is a member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN agency for digital technology. Musk's Starlink and global peers like Amazon's Project Kuiper back an administrative allocation. While Ambani's Reliance Jio has been vocal about the need to allocate such spectrum through an auction to provide a level playing field to legacy operators who buy airwaves and set up infrastructure like telecom towers, Mittal last month at an industry event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present articulated the need to use bidding for such allocation. Jio and Mittal's Bharti Airtel - India's largest and second-largest operators, respectively - feel that giving away the satellite broadband airwaves at a pre-decided price by the government will create an uneven playing field since they had to compete in an auction to get spectrum for their terrestrial wireless phone networks. The two are vying for a piece of the satellite broadband segment as well. Musk-led Starlink is demanding administrative allotment of licences in line with the global trend as it looks to tap into the world's fastest-growing mobile telephony and internet market. Scindia said the Telecom Act of 2023 passed in December has put the matter in 'Schedule 1', which means that the Satcom spectrum will be allocated administratively. Such an allocation will be at a government-decided price, and allow foreign firms like Starlink to offer voice and data services. If the spectrum were to be auctioned, it would have made it costlier for Starlink to roll out services. Starlink has applied for a licence to start operations in the country. Scindia, however, offered no clues on the fate of his application. The minister said that the regulatory process is very clear and transparent. The new Telecom Act has been passed, and the Satellite spectrum is very clearly a part of that in schedule one, he pointed out. "...and therefore, we are open to looking at the application of any entity that wants to invest in India at this point in time. I think only one or two licenses have been given out. And whoever else wants to participate, India is surely going to welcome that," the minister said. Last month, Musk, in a post on X, termed the demand made by Jio for shunning sector regulator Trai's consultation paper on satellite broadband being allocated and not auctioned as "unprecedented", and when Mittal made the pitch in the presence of the Prime Minister, he asked if it was "too much trouble" to allow Starlink to provide internet services in India. This was perhaps the first time that Musk, whose networth of USD 241 billion is more than the combined wealth of Ambani, Mittal and Gautam Adani, had spoken directly against demands for a level playing field made by the Indian firms. Musk, the mind behind PayPal, founder of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of X (formerly Twitter), uses his social media platform on a daily basis to make his views known on a vast array of topics.

In a win for Elon Musk, Scindia says no to spectrum auction pitch from Ambani, Mittal

<keyword id="21282723" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="satellite-communications" source="keywords">Satellite communications</keyword> is a "magic bullet" to cover dark unconnected areas, <keyword id="22764352" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharti-Chairman" source="keywords">Bharti Chairman</keyword> <keyword id="20104229" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sunil-Mittal" source="keywords">Sunil Mittal</keyword> said on Monday, adding that players now have a great new opportunity to leverage satellite connectivity to cover <keyword id="20534956" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="remote-areas" source="keywords">remote areas</keyword> that have so far been left out. Speaking at the <keyword id="23624328" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NDTV-World-Summit" source="keywords">NDTV World Summit</keyword>, Mittal said that nearly two billion people in the world are still not connected to the internet, and in the Indian context too there are areas -- large swathes of desert, forests, coastlines -- where neither mobile networks, not fibre is feasible. "For those areas you need satellite communications, and that, to my mind, offers now a great source of new opportunities for us, mobile operators, or <keyword id="20055601" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="telecom-operators" source="keywords">telecom operators</keyword>, to put that in a mix and start to cover areas which are still left behind," Mittal said. About five per cent of India's population sans <keyword id="19936241" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="internet-connectivity" source="keywords">internet connectivity</keyword> lives in 25 per cent of the area, he said, emphasising that satellite is the only solution for them. "India provides a very high quality signal to 95 per cent of its population, but there are still five per cent of people who do not get internet in the country, and they live in 25 per cent of the area of the country. So it's a very large area with a very small population, the only way to cover that is satellite," Mittal said. Mittal said that two ground stations in Mehsana (Gujarat) and in Pondicherry are in a state of preparedness and ready to start services. "The day government gives us the permission, there will not be a single square inch of this country which will not have a radio coverage. So you just need to raise your hand and be connected," he said. Mittal said he is of the view that satellite is truly a "magic bullet" to cover the dark areas, and noted that about 2 billion people in the world are still not connected to internet, including in advanced countries like the US. The telecom stalwart's comments assume significance as billionaire Elon Musk and Indian tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Mittal are locked in a standoff over satellite spectrum, and nuances of its allocation in India. While Ambani's <keyword id="19896911" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Jio" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Jio" meta.hostid="268" meta.entityid="Reliance Jio">Reliance Jio</keyword> has been vocal about the need to allocate such spectrum through an auction to give a level-playing field to legacy operators who buy airwaves and set up infrastructure like telecom towers, Mittal during India Mobile Congress held last week articulated the need for satellite companies harbouring any urban ambitions to buy spectrum as telecom companies do. Musk-led <keyword id="20034452" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Starlink" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Starlink" meta.hostid="268" meta.entityid="Starlink">Starlink</keyword> is demanding administrative allotment of licences in line with the global trend as it looks to tap into the world's fastest-growing mobile telephony and internet market. This has found some backing in Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who said recently that such airwaves will be given out through administrative allocation at a cost, but not auctioned.

Satellite 'magic bullet' to connect the unconnected; offers opportunity to cover areas left out: Sunil Mittal

<keyword id="20243474" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="telecom-companies" source="keywords">Telecom companies</keyword> will have to pay <keyword id="19951327" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GST" source="keywords">GST</keyword> along with the instalments paid towards <keyword id="20434667" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spectrum-charges" source="keywords">spectrum charges</keyword>, a senior official said. The <keyword id="62528" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Department-of-Telecom" source="Orion">Department of Telecom</keyword> (DoT) will hold the next round of <keyword id="20509941" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spectrum-auction" source="keywords">spectrum auction</keyword> on June 6 for eight spectrum bands meant for <keyword id="20501236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-phone-services" source="keywords">mobile phone services</keyword>. The base price for the auction has been set at Rs 96,317 crore. The spectrum will be assigned for 20 years and successful bidders will be allowed to make payments in 20 equal annual instalments in the coming mega auction. The official said Goods and Services Tax (GST) will have to be paid at 18 per cent by telecom companies along with each instalment. "The <keyword id="19994390" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GST-Council" source="keywords">GST Council</keyword> in its next meeting is likely to clarify the procedure for payment of GST by companies winning the bids during the spectrum auction," the official told PTI. The clarification will end confusion among field formations regarding the method for collection of GST in the auction process. All the available spectrum in the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz, 2,500 MHz, 3,300 MHz, and 26 GHz bands are part of the auction. The total frequencies being put under the hammer are valued at Rs 96,317 crore on base price. Moore Singhi Executive Director Rajat Mohan said under the GST law, spectrum payment is covered under licensing services for the right to use other natural resources on which tax is levied at 18 per cent. "Spectrum charges are payable in a phased manner over a period of time, and thereby tax payment shall also be staggered. The board should issue a clarification in this respect so as to avoid any litigation in this regard," Mohan said.

GST to be paid by telecom companies, along with instalments towards spectrum charges: Official

<keyword id="20509941" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spectrum-auction" source="keywords">Spectrum auction</keyword> for <keyword id="22185968" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-radiowaves-services" source="keywords">mobile radiowaves services</keyword> worth Rs 96,000 crore ended with <keyword id="20055672" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bids" source="keywords">bids</keyword> worth about Rs 11,000 crore, according to sources. The <keyword id="19900449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="government" source="keywords">government</keyword> has put over 10,500 Mhz spectrum in eight <keyword id="21197262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="frequency-bands" source="keywords">frequency bands</keyword> -- 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz, 2,500 MHz, 3,300 MHz and 26 GHz, valued at Rs 96,238 crore at base price, for auction. "There were no fresh bids in the morning session. The auction has ended with bids worth about Rs 11,000 crore," the source said, adding that <keyword id="19951944" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharti-Airtel" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharti Airtel" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bharti Airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword> has emerged as the biggest bidder in the auction. During the last auction in 2022, which turned out to be a seven-day affair, a record over Rs 1.5 lakh crore worth of 5G telecom spectrum was sold, with billionaire <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>'s <keyword id="19906886" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jio" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Jio" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Jio">Jio</keyword> emerging as the top bidder, cornering nearly half of all the airwaves (worth Rs 88,078 crore). At that time, telecom tycoon Sunil Mittal's Bharti Airtel made a successful bid of Rs 43,084 crore, while Vodafone Idea bought Spectrum for Rs 18,799 crore. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/stanley-lifestyles-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/111261779.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/stanley-lifestyles-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/111261779.cms" target="_blank">Stanley Lifestyles IPO allotment – How to check allotment, IPO GMP, listing date and more</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/oneplus-nord-ce-4-lite-vs-poco-x6-which-phone-should-you-buy-under-25000/slidelist/111257892.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/oneplus-nord-ce-4-lite-vs-poco-x6-which-phone-should-you-buy-under-25000/slidelist/111257892.cms" target="_blank">OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite vs Poco X6 – which phone should you buy under ₹25,000?</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ipos-this-week-allied-blenders-and-vraj-iron-and-steel-look-to-raise-1671-crore/articleshow/111233159.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ipos-this-week-allied-blenders-and-vraj-iron-and-steel-look-to-raise-1671-crore/articleshow/111233159.cms" target="_blank">IPOs this week – Allied Blenders and Vraj Iron and Steel look to raise ₹1,671 crore</a>

Spectrum auction ends with bids worth ₹11,000 crore, Bharti Airtel emerges as the biggest bidder

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the proposal for the 3rd batch of ascending <keyword id="22338892" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-auctions" source="keywords">e-auctions</keyword> for 730 <keyword id="22951451" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="FM-radio-channels" source="keywords">FM radio channels</keyword> in 234 new cities, with an estimated reserve price of Rs. 784.87 crore under the <keyword id="22950610" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Private-FM-Radio" source="keywords">Private FM Radio</keyword> <keyword id="22657617" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Phase-III-Policy" source="keywords">Phase III Policy</keyword>. According to the official statement, the Cabinet also approved a proposal to set the <keyword id="22951452" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Annual-License-Fee" source="keywords">Annual License Fee</keyword> (ALF) for FM channels at 4 per cent of <keyword id="20406587" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gross-Revenue" source="keywords">Gross Revenue</keyword>, excluding Goods and Services Tax (GST). This will apply to the 234 new cities and towns. The expansion of Private FM Radio to these 234 new locations will address the existing demand for FM radio services in areas still uncovered by private broadcasters, providing access to new and local content in <keyword id="20520759" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="regional-languages" source="keywords">regional languages</keyword>. This initiative will create new <keyword id="19972727" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employment-opportunities" source="keywords">employment opportunities</keyword>, promote local dialects and culture, and support the 'vocal for local' initiative. Many of the approved cities and towns are located in Aspirational districts and areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE). The introduction of Private FM Radio in these regions will further strengthen the Government's outreach efforts. The evolution of India's Private FM Radio Policy marked a shift from <keyword id="22951453" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="medium-wave" source="keywords">Medium Wave</keyword> (MW) broadcasting to Frequency Modulated (FM) waves, driven by a need to enhance the quality and variety of radio programming, improve broadcast standards, and modernize outdated equipment. The journey began with the approval of the FM Phase-I Policy in July 1999, which aimed to revitalize the radio industry by introducing open auctions for selecting successful bidders. However, the initial phase met with limited success, with only 21 channels becoming operational across 12 cities. Recognizing the need for a more robust framework, the government introduced the improved FM Phase-II Policy in July 2005, following recommendations from the Dr Amit Mitra Committee and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). This policy was well-received by stakeholders and resulted in significant growth in the FM radio industry, creating new employment opportunities and expanding the reach of private FM radio. Despite this success, many cities, particularly those with populations below three lakh and border areas, remained outside the private FM radio network. The necessity for further expansion led to the introduction of the FM Phase-III Policy, which sought to address the unmet demand for FM radio in uncovered cities. This policy recognized the strategic importance of extending FM radio services to border areas, such as Jammu &amp; Kashmir, the North Eastern states, and island territories, where private broadcasters had been reluctant to enter due to concerns about viability. The policy also aimed to incentivise the development of FM radio in these regions to counter cross-border propaganda and ensure that Indian radio channels had a wider reach. Additionally, the Phase-III Policy acknowledged the presence of 97 vacant channels from Phase-II that could not be auctioned for various reasons and emphasized the need for better utilisation of the frequency spectrum allocated for FM broadcasting.

Cabinet approves Rs 784.87 cr e-auctions for 730 FM radio channels across 234 new cities

NEW DELHI: Amid the industry's concerns over less-than-expected price cuts, Trai chairman PD Vaghela on Tuesday asserted that the regulator's recommendations of a 39 per cent drop in <keyword id="804714" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spectrum-prices" source="Orion">spectrum prices</keyword> are rational, attractive and backed by "scientific calculations". Vaghela told PTI that in view of the huge market potential of 5G, he is confident that the telecom industry will actively take part in the auction. The chairman expressed hope that the recommended reserve prices will attract bidders in the forthcoming auction. He also said that the ease of doing business, extensive stakeholder inputs, and facilitating the proliferation of 5G in the country have been the most important drivers for Trai's latest stance. Setting the stage for the rollout of 5G services, telecom regulator Trai on Monday recommended a mega auction plan valued at over Rs 7.5 lakh crore at the base price across multiple bands for radiowaves allocated over 30 years. Overall, the <keyword id="12394776" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="telecom-regulatory-authority-of" source="Orion">Telecom Regulatory Authority of</keyword> <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> (Trai) recommended about a 39 per cent reduction in the reserve or floor price for the sale of spectrum for mobile services, including the latest 5G offering, as it looked to match revenue expectations with the industry's paying capacity. Industry body COAI, however, has expressed deep disappointment over Trai's 5G recommendations, and termed the spectrum pricing suggested by the regulator as "too high". Given the recent reforms for the telecom sector announced by the government, these recommendations are "one step backwards than forward" towards building a digitally connected India, COAI claimed. COAI argued that the industry had recommended 90 per cent lower prices, and to see only about 35-40 per cent reduction recommended in prices "is deeply disappointing". Asked about the industry's views on less than expected price cuts, Vaghela in an interview said the regulator's recommendations of a 39 per cent drop in spectrum prices are backed by "scientific calculations". "Trai takes the business of calculation of valuation seriously, and on that basis, we have arrived at rational reserve prices. The prices we have given have been set at 70 per cent of valuation," he said. Taking off from the telecom department's reference seeking auction-related recommendations, Trai considered various aspects like ease of doing business, stakeholder inputs and most importantly, the proliferation of 5G and use cases in the country to ensure that economic benefits of technology are derived by all sections of society, he said. "If you see our recommendations on surrender fee, easy and flexible payment options, and leasing of spectrum for private networks, these are all aimed at ease of doing business and attracting investment into the telecom sector," Vaghela said. While auctions and network rollout are important considerations, "as a country, we need to facilitate penetration of 5G based technologies and use cases", Vaghela said. "A complete ecosystem needs to be created towards this objective," he said. "So, we have recommended action plans for vertical sectors, i.e., industry sectors and social sectors ...that they should be actively preparing plans for adopting 5G applications. Stakeholders like farmers, fishermen, students, MSMEs etc need to be further empowered to be part of the digital economy," Vaghela added. 5G technology once implemented should create demand for telecom products, thereby improving revenue streams for telecom service providers, and should also help consumers and the public at large to become a part of the mainstream digital economy, he noted. "India should reap the benefits of technologies and applications, which are based on 5G," the Trai chief said. On whether the industry has the paying capacity, given that over one lakh <keyword id="13265908" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="megahertz" source="Orion">megahertz</keyword> of spectrum worth over Rs 5 lakh crore at reserve price will be on the block (for 20-year allocation), Vaghela said, "With the attractive reserve prices recommended, flexible payment options offered, easy spectrum surrender conditions, recommendations on leasing etc., the forthcoming auction will surely be attractive for the investors". The Indian economy is growing, technology adoption is being ramped up by different vertical sectors and the market for telecom products is expanding at a rapid pace, he noted. "In view of the huge market potential of 5G, I am sure that the telecom industry will actively take part in the auction," he said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/xiaomis-manu-kumar-jain-has-been-reportedly-summoned-by-the-enforcement-directorate/articleshow/90803402.cms">Xiaomi’s Manu Kumar Jain has been reportedly summoned by the Enforcement Directorate</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/travel-tourism-and-hospitality-sector-is-witnessing-a-surge-in-manpower-demand-by-20-percent/slidelist/90799907.cms">Travel, tourism and hospitality sector is witnessing a surge in manpower demand by 20 percent</a>

Recommended spectrum prices are backed by scientific calculations, says Trai chief Vaghela

<keyword id="6583012" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="vodafone-idea-ltd">Vodafone Idea Ltd</keyword> (<keyword id="634808" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="VIL">VIL</keyword>) on Tuesday said it has acquired <keyword id="6359803" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="spectrum">spectrum</keyword> in five <keyword id="137574" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Circles">circles</keyword>, which would help the telco to enhance its 4G coverage and capacity. In a regulatory filing, VIL said that it has used this opportunity to optimise its spectrum holding post-merger to create further efficiencies in few circles. "The spectrum we have acquired in the 5 circles will further help us to enhance our 4G coverage and capacity, enabling superior digital experience for our customers," it said in the filing. The company said that it entered the auction holding the largest quantum of spectrum with a very small fraction, which was administratively allocated and used for <keyword id="17406" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="GSM">GSM</keyword> services, coming up for renewal. Congratulating the <keyword id="116246" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Department-of-Telecommunications">Department of Telecommunications</keyword> (DoT) for the successful completion of the spectrum auction, the company, however said that as the industry readies to deploy 5G technology with <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> specific use cases in the next few years. "We are hopeful that large quantum of spectrum in globally harmonised bands, will be made available for all operators in the future as well as it would be at fair prices that allow operators to have ability to rapidly rollout networks." SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/gautam-adani-naveen-jindal-anand-mahindra-and-kumar-mangalam-birla-increased-their-net-worth-in-2020/slidelist/81290572.cms">Gautam Adani, Naveen Jindal, Anand Mahindra and Kumar Mangalam Birla increased their net worth despite COVID-19 wreaking havoc</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/the-indian-government-reaped-a-record-77000-crore-on-the-first-day-of-2021-telecom-spectrum-auctions/articleshow/81290489.cms">India reaps a bounty on the first day of spectrum auctions – but it's a lot less than what the government wanted</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/these-are-the-best-national-highways-in-india-in-terms-of-efficiency-safety-and-user-services/slidelist/81291257.cms">These are the best national highways in India in terms of efficiency, safety and user services</a>

Vi acquires spectrum in five telecom circles in auction

<ul><li>The Indian government approved <keyword id="16054" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="dot" source="Orion">DoT</keyword>’s 5G spectrum auction during a cabinet meeting held on June 14.</li><li>Reportedly, an auction of 72097.85 MHz of spectrum with 20 yrs validity by July-end will be put to auction.</li><li>India is going to get 5G connectivity soon.</li></ul>The Union Cabinet has approved the auction of airwaves capable of offering fifth-generation or 5G telecom services including ultra high-speed internet, and gave its nod for setting up of captive 5G networks by the big tech firms. The auction of over 72 GHz of the spectrum will be held by July-end, said an official statement detailing the decision taken by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword>, at its meeting held on June 14. The spectrum auction will commence on July 26, 2022. Sources told PTI that the Cabinet has approved 5G auctions at reserve prices recommended by the sector regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). TRAI had earlier recommended about a 39 per cent reduction in the reserve or floor price for the sale of 5G spectrum for mobile services. While the 5G spectrum in nine frequency bands will be auctioned to telecom operators like Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, the Notice Inviting Applications -- bid-related document issued by DoT -- said big tech firms for the time being will be allowed to take the 5G spectrum for their captive non-public network, on lease from the telecom companies. The Notice Inviting Offer said direct allocation to the big tech companies will follow a demand study and sector regulator TRAI's recommendation on aspects such as pricing and modalities of such allocation. Big tech companies like Google have been seeking direct allocation of spectrum for applications such as machine-to-machine communications, IoT and AI, while telecom companies have been opposing direct allocation of 5G spectrum to them saying it will distort the level playing field and rob the government of revenues. "Enterprises setting up Captive Non-Public Network may obtain the spectrum on lease from TSPs (telecom service providers) having Access Service Authorization and establish their own isolated network. Required Licensing terms and conditions and Spectrum Leasing guidelines shall be issued by DoT," the Notice Inviting Applications said. As per the document, the government from time to time will publish required provisions and guidelines and licensing terms and conditions for enabling the setting up of Captive Non-Public Network (CNPN). According to the document, the auction is slated to start on July 26, 2022. Among other key dates to watch-out for is the pre-bid conference scheduled for June 20, 2022, submission of applications with a deadline of July 8, and pre-qualification of bidders on July 18. Mock auctions will be held on July 22 and 23, 2022. A total of 72097.85 MHz of spectrum with a validity period of 20 years will be put to auction to be held by the end of July, 2022. "The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a proposal of the Department of Telecommunications to conduct spectrum auction through which spectrum will be assigned to the successful bidders for providing 5G services to public and enterprises," the official release said. The auction will be held for spectrum in various Low (600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz), Mid (3300 MHz) and High (26 GHz) frequency bands. Overall, the payment terms have been eased for bidders in the upcoming auction. Continuing the pace of telecom sector reforms, the Cabinet announced various progressive options with regard to the spectrum auction, for facilitating ease of doing business. "For the first time ever, there is no mandatory requirement to make upfront payment by the successful bidders. Payments for spectrum can be made in 20 equal annual instalments to be paid in advance at the beginning of each year," it said, adding this is expected to significantly ease cash flow requirements and lower the cost of doing business in this sector. The bidders would be given an option to surrender the spectrum after 10 years with no future liabilities with respect to balance instalments. No SUC (spectrum usage charges) will be charged for spectrum acquired in this auction. "The availability of sufficient backhaul spectrum is also necessary to enable the roll-out of 5G services. To meet the backhaul demand, the Cabinet has decided to provisionally allot 2 carriers of 250 MHz each in E-band to the Telecom Service Providers," the official statement said. The Cabinet also decided to double the number of traditional Microwave backhaul carriers in the existing frequency bands of 13, 15, 18 and 21 GHz bands, the release informed. The India market is gearing up 5G services, that will usher in ultra high speeds and spawn new-age services and business models, and the mega-auctions will pave the way for roll out of next generation services by telcos, in 2022-23. 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Indian govt approves 5G spectrum auctions, but telcos might not be happy

<keyword id="50691" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital" source="Orion">Digital</keyword> communications solutions provider <keyword id="6354287" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharti-Airtel" source="Orion">Bharti Airtel</keyword> on Friday said it has paid ₹8,815 crore towards part prepayment of deferred liabilities pertaining to spectrum acquired in auction of year 2015. Accordingly, the payment was made to the <keyword id="62528" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Department-of-Telecom" source="Orion">Department of Telecom</keyword>, Government of <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>. "The prepayment is for installments due in FY 2027 and FY 2028," the company said in a statement. "Over the last four months, <keyword id="15491" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="airtel" source="Orion">Airtel</keyword> has cleared ₹24,334 crores of its deferred spectrum liabilities much ahead of scheduled maturities." As per the statement, these liabilities carried an interest rate of 10 per cent and have been paid off through a combination of strong free cash generated by business, equity proceeds and significantly lower cost debt of similar tenor. "Airtel continues to focus on financial flexibility via its capital structure, including optimising cost of financing and capitalising on all opportunities of significant interest saves like this prepayment." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/ola-is-going-to-acquire-ceo-bhavish-aggarwals-brothers-firm-avail-finance/articleshow/90433830.cms">Ola is going to acquire CEO Bhavish Aggarwal’s brother’s firm Avail finance</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/petrol-and-diesel-prices-hike-the-third-time-this-week-in-india/articleshow/90433724.cms">Petrol and diesel prices hiked for the third time this week</a>

Airtel prepays ₹8,815 crore to clear deferred liabilities for spectrum

<ul><li>The Finance Minister has announced that the <keyword id="6450594" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="5g-spectrum" source="Orion">5G spectrum</keyword> auction will be completed in 2022.</li><li>Commercial rollout of 5G will begin in 2022-23.</li><li>The government has also announced a production-linked incentive scheme for 5G.</li></ul>The highly-anticipated 5G auctions will take place in 2022, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Tuesday during the <keyword id="10547300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2022" source="Orion">Budget 2022</keyword> session in the Parliament. Sitharaman further added that the commercial rollout of <keyword id="2527485" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="5g-services" source="Orion">5G services</keyword> will happen by 2022-23, which means by March 2023, we should have compatible 5G smartphones latch on to the 5G networks of private telecom players Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea. <a href="https://stocktwits.com/CapitalViaGlobalResearch/message/432214312">HFCL</a> could be one of the beneficiaries of this announcement since it makes optical fibre cables. <div type="image" title="ST Telecom post" msid="89278167" hostid="261"></div> Making the announcement, Sitharaman specifically mentioned private players, which suggests that the state-run telco, BSNL, is still a ways away from getting access to the next-gen telecom technology. “The required spectrum auctions will be conducted in 2022 to facilitate roll out of 5G mobile services within 2022-23 by private telecom operators,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. In addition to this, Sitharaman also added that a production-linked incentive scheme will also be announced to push 5G technology in the country. It will be focused on design-led manufacturing. The finance minister also announced that 5% of the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) would be allocated for research and development (R&amp;D) along with commercialisation of technology aimed at improving the proliferation of broadband to the rural areas of the country. USOF is collected from telcos, who pay 5% of their adjusted gross revenue to the government towards this. “All villages should have the same access to communication facilities as urban areas,” Sitharaman added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/india-union-budget-2022-updates-and-key-highlights/slidelist/89265881.cms">Union Budget 2022: These are the biggest highlights from the Finance Minister’s speech</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/from-new-updated-it-return-to-surcharge-on-ltcg-at-15-here-are-the-personal-finance-highlights-from-budget-2022/articleshow/89268183.cms">From crypto tax to higher tax audit limits, here are the personal finance highlights from Budget 2022</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/from-cryptocurrencies-to-nfts-india-to-tax-all-virtual-digital-assets-at-30/articleshow/89268587.cms">From cryptocurrencies to NFTs, India to tax all ‘virtual digital’ assets at 30%</a>

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