Lok Sabha Question No. 2811 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-10
Subject: Spectrum Auction
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Aparupa  Poddar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2811 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH   JULY, 2019

## SPECTRUM AUCTION

## 2811. SHRIMATI APARUPA PODDAR:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  auction  largest  block  of  spectrum  to  ensure  affordable  5G services in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether TRAI has failed to achieve the target users in the auction of 3G and 4G spectrum and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether the Government has not realised the reserve prices of spectrum auctioned in the past and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (d) whether the past spectrum auction/ sale in the country was reportedly poor and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the remedial steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, LAW & JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) Yes, Sir. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had provided its recommendations for the auction of spectrum in the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300-3400  MHz  and  3400-3600  MHz  bands  on  01.08.2018  for  providing  Access  services  using  any technology including 5G. The recommendations were examined by an Expert Committee and subsequently by a Standing Committee in the department. The recommendations of the Standing Committee were considered by the Digital Communications Commission (DCC) and based on the decision of the DCC a back reference to TRAI on some of the recommendations was sent. Based on the reply from TRAI on the back reference, a final decision will be taken by the Government for the auction of spectrum.
- (b) to (d) The spectrum auctions are conducted by the Government based on the recommendations of TRAI. In terms of valuation, Reserve Price for the various bands of spectrum in the Licensed Service Areas (LSAs), where spectrum is put to auction, is fixed by the Government after considering these recommendations of TRAI. In the auction, it is the bidders who decide upon the quantum of spectrum they desire to buy, and the value they place on it.

The details of the revenue earned by the Government through auction of spectrum during the last six years are as follows.

|   Auction Year |   Bid Amount (Rs. Crores) | Upfornt Payment (Rs. Crores)**   |
|----------------|---------------------------|----------------------------------|
|           2010 |                  106262   | 106262                           |
|           2012 |                    9408   | 5557                             |
|           2013 |                    3639   | Nil***                           |
|           2014 |                   61162   | 18267                            |
|           2015 |                  109875   | 32377.85                         |
|           2016 |                   65789.1 | 32434.10                         |

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