SPECTRUM-AUCTION 2 LT(BCM9)

The government is making available 2354.55 MHz of The government is making available 2354.55 MHz ofspectrum in these auctions and at base price it will garner Rs5.56 trillion or Rs 5.56 lakh crore, which includes theadditional Rs 27,000 crore of harmonised spectrum. It is putting up massive quantity of spectrum for thefirst time to help remove fragmentation and improve quality ofservices. The simultaneous auctions will take place for sevenbands – 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300MHz and 2500 MHz. Bidders will have to pay 25 per cent of the amountupfront, for spectrum above the 1 GHz band, they will have topay 50 per cent upfront. The instalments would be the same asin previous auctions, with the second instalment becoming duethree years after the initial payment. On the industry body COAI’s letter on Reliance Jio tothe PMO, Deepak refused to comment. In a no holds barred attack, Mukesh Ambani-ledReliance Jio yesterday lashed out at COAI, of which it is amember, for acting "maliciously" as "mouthpiece" of certaindominant incumbent operators having vested interests againstthe company. Hours after the Cellular Operators Association ofIndia wrote to Prime Minister’s Office alleging free data andvoice being offered by Reliance Jio under beta test wasgenerating huge traffic using spectrum allocated forcommercial use but no revenue was coming to government, thecompany shot of a letter to the association with copies markedto all the addresses the COAI letter had gone to. PTI AA BENARS SASDM