New Delhi: Up for auction 5G spectrum Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said on Thursday that next year is likely to be around April-May.
Vaishnav said while the relief measures announced in September this year for telecom operators marked the first set of reforms, the government would bring in a series of further reforms and “the telecom regulatory structure should change in the coming 2-3 years”.
Speaking at the ‘Times Now Summit 2021’, the minister said that India’s telecom sector regulation has to be benchmarked with the global best, and added that “therefore, we will come up with a series of reforms, such as Global benchmark. Achieved in India”.
On the timeline for 5G auctions, Vaishnav said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which looks into the structure of the auctions, is deliberating on the matter.
“I think they will submit their report by mid-February, which we are thinking, maybe by February-end, maximum by March. Soon after that, we will do the auction,” he said.
The comment assumes significance as the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) was earlier expected to conduct the 5G auction by the end of the current financial year.
The minister said it would be difficult to give a specific timeline for the upcoming auction at this stage as a lot depends on the time taken by TRAI to finalize its views.
“But, today, our estimate is for April-May. I was estimating March earlier. But, I think it will take… because consultations are complex, there are diverse opinions coming in…,” he said .
The government is keen to ensure that the auction is technology-neutral, and wants to offer spectrum that is consistent for many years to come.
“So, 4G can be used in that, 5G can be used. So, it is not only short term but at least 5-10 years forward thinking,” he said.
It may be recalled that DoT had approached TRAI for its recommendations on pricing, volumes and other modalities relating to radio waves in multiple bands, as it forms the basis for holding. 5G Spectrum Auction in the coming months.
In the context of DoT, views of TRAI have been sought on the base price, quantum and all other modalities for spectrum in multiple bands.
These include bands like 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz and 3,300-3,600 MHz bands (which were not put up for auction in the final round) and millimeter-wave bands. band (ie 24.25-28.5 GHz).
Over Rs 77,800 crore was bid for 855.6 MHz spectrum in the last round of spectrum auction held in March this year.
Vaishnav said with the major reforms for telcos outlined in September, the government expects the industry to focus on increasing investments by 2-4 times, reaching the unconnected and improving service quality.
“Look at call drops… the classic case, call drops because the investment in the sector is very low, that investment has to increase by 2-4X. That’s what we need,” he said.
The telecom regulatory structure must change in the coming 2-3 years, and the “first fundamental change” has already happened, he said, pointing to the recently unveiled sectoral reforms.
“Indeed, the industry is saying that it is taking some time to self absorb and adjust accordingly, whatever has been done in the September reforms, as business plans will have to change the entire fundamental structure of the industry. , “They said.
The telecom sector, as such, got a shot in the arm with the government recently approving a blockbuster relief package, allowing companies a four-year break from paying statutory dues, allowing sharing of scarce airwaves, in the definition of revenue. Including change on which levy is paid and 100% foreign investment is made through the automatic route.
Aiming to provide relief to telecom service providers, who have to pay thousands of crores in unorganized past statutory dues, also includes the abolition of spectrum usage charges (SUC) for airwaves received in future spectrum auctions.
Vaishnav expressed confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of having a world-class technology stack in the telecom sector would be realized by mid 2023.
“Always we have imported technology. Today, our entire network works on someone else.
“So, the fundamental change that will be 4G, 5G and 6G. This entire technology stack, both hardware as well as software, will be developed in India, perfected in India, then used all over the world,” They told.
This vision has already been achieved for 4G and 70-75 per cent work has been done for 5G stack.
“The 5G stack is 70-75 percent ready. By February, we should have the entire 5G software stack ready.
“Production linked incentives for telecom manufacturing … 35 manufacturers have already taken advantage of this and are in the process of setting up factories. To launch 6G, that whole process … thinking process, concept, that act first It has already been given,” he added.
Vaishnav said while the relief measures announced in September this year for telecom operators marked the first set of reforms, the government would bring in a series of further reforms and “the telecom regulatory structure should change in the coming 2-3 years”.
Speaking at the ‘Times Now Summit 2021’, the minister said that India’s telecom sector regulation has to be benchmarked with the global best, and added that “therefore, we will come up with a series of reforms, such as Global benchmark. Achieved in India”.
On the timeline for 5G auctions, Vaishnav said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which looks into the structure of the auctions, is deliberating on the matter.
“I think they will submit their report by mid-February, which we are thinking, maybe by February-end, maximum by March. Soon after that, we will do the auction,” he said.
The comment assumes significance as the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) was earlier expected to conduct the 5G auction by the end of the current financial year.
The minister said it would be difficult to give a specific timeline for the upcoming auction at this stage as a lot depends on the time taken by TRAI to finalize its views.
“But, today, our estimate is for April-May. I was estimating March earlier. But, I think it will take… because consultations are complex, there are diverse opinions coming in…,” he said .
The government is keen to ensure that the auction is technology-neutral, and wants to offer spectrum that is consistent for many years to come.
“So, 4G can be used in that, 5G can be used. So, it is not only short term but at least 5-10 years forward thinking,” he said.
It may be recalled that DoT had approached TRAI for its recommendations on pricing, volumes and other modalities relating to radio waves in multiple bands, as it forms the basis for holding. 5G Spectrum Auction in the coming months.
In the context of DoT, views of TRAI have been sought on the base price, quantum and all other modalities for spectrum in multiple bands.
These include bands like 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz and 3,300-3,600 MHz bands (which were not put up for auction in the final round) and millimeter-wave bands. band (ie 24.25-28.5 GHz).
Over Rs 77,800 crore was bid for 855.6 MHz spectrum in the last round of spectrum auction held in March this year.
Vaishnav said with the major reforms for telcos outlined in September, the government expects the industry to focus on increasing investments by 2-4 times, reaching the unconnected and improving service quality.
“Look at call drops… the classic case, call drops because the investment in the sector is very low, that investment has to increase by 2-4X. That’s what we need,” he said.
The telecom regulatory structure must change in the coming 2-3 years, and the “first fundamental change” has already happened, he said, pointing to the recently unveiled sectoral reforms.
“Indeed, the industry is saying that it is taking some time to self absorb and adjust accordingly, whatever has been done in the September reforms, as business plans will have to change the entire fundamental structure of the industry. , “They said.
The telecom sector, as such, got a shot in the arm with the government recently approving a blockbuster relief package, allowing companies a four-year break from paying statutory dues, allowing sharing of scarce airwaves, in the definition of revenue. Including change on which levy is paid and 100% foreign investment is made through the automatic route.
Aiming to provide relief to telecom service providers, who have to pay thousands of crores in unorganized past statutory dues, also includes the abolition of spectrum usage charges (SUC) for airwaves received in future spectrum auctions.
Vaishnav expressed confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of having a world-class technology stack in the telecom sector would be realized by mid 2023.
“Always we have imported technology. Today, our entire network works on someone else.
“So, the fundamental change that will be 4G, 5G and 6G. This entire technology stack, both hardware as well as software, will be developed in India, perfected in India, then used all over the world,” They told.
This vision has already been achieved for 4G and 70-75 per cent work has been done for 5G stack.
“The 5G stack is 70-75 percent ready. By February, we should have the entire 5G software stack ready.
“Production linked incentives for telecom manufacturing … 35 manufacturers have already taken advantage of this and are in the process of setting up factories. To launch 6G, that whole process … thinking process, concept, that act first It has already been given,” he added.
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