Third round of 2G spectrum auction to be held soon: Reports
To comply with a Supreme Court order, the Department of Telecom will not be delaying the third round of the 2G spectrum auction, and will conduct it soon after completion of the March bidding.
The government will be holding the third round of the 2G GSM spectrum bidding soon after the second round of the bidding, slated to be held in March. According to reports, the Supreme Court in its February 15 hearing had asked the government to conduct bidding for the “entire spectrum released as a result of quashing of the licences on 2.2.2012…without further delay”
According to Telecom Secretary R Chandrashekhar, the spectrum that found no bidders in the November auction will once again be up for bidding. And after the completion of the second round, the spectrum that were freed after the cancellation of licences last year but were not put on auction in the last round will be up for bidding.
“We will put all the spectrum in the 18 circles which was not auctioned in November for auction immediately after this (March auction) is done,” Chandrashekhar is quoted as saying.
The senior official further said the Department of Telecom (DoT) is mulling over raising the quantum of spectrum in circles Karnataka and Rajasthan for which the bidding is slated to begin March 11 in compliance with the SC order.
It’s notable the government had announced bidding of 10 MHz each in Karnataka and Rajasthan, but spectrum vacated after revoking licences in these circles was 22 Mhz and 17.6 Mhz. “As far as Delhi and Mumbai are concerned, the quantum of spectrum is already compliant with the Supreme Court order of February 15,” Chandrashekhar added.
Chandrashekhar revealed all spectrum that was vacated after cancellation of CDMA licences (800 MHz band) has been already already up for auction.
Source: Economic Times