MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 1 August released the recommendations for  "Auction of Spectrum in 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz,  2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300-3400 MHz and 3400-3600 MHz Bands".

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) through its letter dated 19 April 2017 requested TRAI to provide applicable reserve price, quantum of spectrum to be auctioned and associated conditions for auction of spectrum in all the bands mentioned above, for all the LSAs under the terms of clause 11 (1) (a) of TRAI Act, 1997 (as amended).

TRAI sought additional information/ clarifications on some of the issues from DoT. However, to speed up the process, based on the available information, TRAI issued the consultation paper (CP) on 28 August 2017 after which an open house discussion (OHD) was conducted. 

The salient features of the recommendations are given below:

• Entire available spectrum should be put to auction in the forthcoming auction.

• Barring the specific locations or districts where ISRO is using the 25 MHz (3400 MHz-3425 MHz) of spectrum, the entire spectrum from 3300 MHz to 3600 MHz should be made available for access services and should be included in the forthcoming auction.

• 3300-3600 MHz should be auctioned as a single band and TDD based frequency arrangement should be adopted for this band.

• Spectrum in 3300-3600 MHz band should be put to auction in the block size of 20 MHz. To avoid monopolisation of this band, there should be limit of 100 MHz per bidder. Since the TSPs are allowed to trade their partial or complete spectrum holding to another TSP, the limit of 100

MHz spectrum in 3300-3600 MHz band, shall also apply for spectrum trading.  In case a TSP acquires more than one block, the entire spectrum should be assigned to it in contiguous form.

• No roll out obligations should be mandated for spectrum in 3300-3600 MHz band. However, to avoid any misuse of not mandating any roll-out obligations, the lock-in period for spectrum in this band for becoming eligible for spectrum trading should be five years instead of two years.

• The revised provisions of spectrum cap (i.e.  35 per cent overall cap and a cap of 50 per cent on the combined spectrum holding in the sub-1 GHz bands) should be extended to 3300-3600 MHz band also. Additionally, in 3300-3600 MHz band, there should be a spectrum holding cap of 100 MHz per licensee

• There is an urgent need of audit for all allocated spectrum both commercial as well as spectrum allocated to various PSUs/ Government organisations. This should be done by an independent agency on a regular basis.

• Recommended reserve price for various spectrum bands is as per table given below: