New Delhi: As a part of the frequency assignment, a total amount of Rs. 2306.97 crore was paid to the Government by two Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), Bharti and Reliance Jio, for assignment of immediately available unsold spectrum blocks in place of spectrum blocks in the same band and Licensed Service Areas (LSA) assigned to them from later dates.
Bharti and Reliance Jio respectively paid immediately Rs. 157.38 crore from M/s Bharti and Rs. 2149.59 crore rather than in August-September 2021, the Ministry of Communications informed today.
It may be recalled that a total quantity of 855.60 MHz of spectrum in 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, and 2300 MHz bands was acquired by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) in the Spectrum Auction, 2021, conducted on March 1 and 2, 2021. The total amount payable by the successful bidders for the total quantity of spectrum acquired is Rs 77820.81 crore. Of this, an amount of Rs 21918.47 crore was received as upfront payment from the TSPs on March 18, 2021, as per terms and conditions of the Notice Inviting Applications.
With this, the Department of Telecom (DoT) today successfully completed the assignment of frequencies to successful bidders of the Spectrum Auction, 2021. Frequency assignment letters were issued to successful bidders today.
The frequency assignment was accompanied by a frequency harmonization exercise, whereby spectrum blocks assigned to TSPs in the current spectrum auction have been made contiguous with the spectrum blocks already held by them, wherever possible, in various bands in different Licensed Service Areas (LSAs).
The harmonization of spectrum was accomplished in 19 LSAs in 800 MHz band, 8 LSAs in 900 MHz band, 21 LSAs in 1800 MHz band, 3 LSAs in 2100 MHz band, and 16 LSAs in 2300 MHz band, the Ministry stated adding that the harmonization exercise facilitates more efficient utilization of spectrum held by TSPs, leading to improved Quality of Service for consumers.
– global bihari bureau
