Trai's Spectrum Strategy: New Auction Guidelines Underway

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has released a consultation paper addressing the auction norms for over 12,000 MHz of spectrum across various bands. The aim is to determine pricing and allocation methods for spectrum used in 4G and 5G services as well as for WiFi and mobile services.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has unveiled a consultation paper with guidelines for the upcoming spectrum auction, focusing on over 12,000 MHz distributed across ten different bands. This move aims to refine pricing strategies and establish norms crucial for advancing 4G and 5G services.

Included in the consultation is the contested 6 GHz band, a hot topic as both mobile operators and WiFi providers vie for a larger share of the spectrum. This forms part of Trai's broader initiative to gather industry feedback ahead of setting reserve prices and other auction conditions.

The spectrum spans key bands such as 600 MHz, which offers extensive coverage, especially in rural regions. Opinions are also sought on previously unsold frequencies in the highly sought-after 700 MHz spectrum. This marks another step toward optimizing India's telecommunications infrastructure.

(With inputs from agencies.)