Lok Sabha Question No. 260 (STARRED), answered on 2016-08-03
Subject: 4G Service
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: OM BIRLA, SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.260 TO BE ANSWERED ON 3 RD  AUGUST, 2016

## 4G SERVICE

- *260.   SHRI OM BIRLA SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  revenue  earned  by  the  Government  through  the  allocation  of spectrum for 4G  services  and  the  names  of  the  companies  to  which  the  allocation was made, company-wise;
- (b) the number of Wi-Fi hotspots installed to provide 4G and the expansion aimed during the current year;
- (c) whether the BSNL/MTNL has fixed any time limit for launching 4G services in their service area throughout the country;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  time  by  which  the  services  are  likely  to  be launched; and
- (e) whether  both  the  PSUs  proposes  to  take  part  in  forthcoming  phase  of spectrum auction for 4G, and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK    SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  260    FOR  3 RD AUGUST, 2016 REGARDING '4G SERVICE'.

(a) Government started allocation of spectrum through auction process since 2010 where  the  use  of  spectrum  is  technology  neutral,  that  is  the  Telecom  Service Providers are free to provide 2G, 3G and 4G services. The details of revenue earned by the Government through this process and the names of the companies to whom the allocation was made, company-wise are as under: -

| Year of Auction   | Name of the bands   | Name of the company                                                                                    | Total Bid Amount (Rs. in crores)                                                                       | Upfront amount (Rs. in crores)                                                                         |
|-------------------|---------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2010              | BWA (2300/2500 MHz) | Bharti Air Tel Ltd.                                                                                    | 3314.36                                                                                                | 3314.36                                                                                                |
|                   | BWA (2300/2500 MHz) | Augere (Mauritius) Ltd.                                                                                | 124.66                                                                                                 | 124.66                                                                                                 |
|                   | BWA (2300/2500 MHz) | Infotel Broadband Services Pvt. Ltd.                                                                   | 12847.77                                                                                               | 12847.77                                                                                               |
|                   | BWA (2300/2500 MHz) | Aircell Ltd.                                                                                           | 3438.01                                                                                                | 3438.01                                                                                                |
|                   | BWA (2300/2500 MHz) | BSNL                                                                                                   | 8313.80                                                                                                | 8313.80                                                                                                |
|                   | BWA (2300/2500 MHz) | MTNL                                                                                                   | 4533.97                                                                                                | 4533.97                                                                                                |
|                   | BWA (2300/2500 MHz) | Qualcomm Incorporated                                                                                  | 4912.54                                                                                                | 4912.54                                                                                                |
|                   | BWA (2300/2500 MHz) | Tikona Digital Networks Pvt. Ltd.                                                                      | 1058.20                                                                                                | 1058.20                                                                                                |
|                   | 2100 MHz            | Bharti Air Tel Ltd.                                                                                    | 12295.46                                                                                               | 12295.46                                                                                               |
|                   | 2100 MHz            | Idea Cellular Ltd.                                                                                     | 5768.59                                                                                                | 5768.59                                                                                                |
|                   | 2100 MHz            | Aircell Ltd.                                                                                           | 6499.46                                                                                                | 6499.46                                                                                                |
|                   | 2100 MHz            | BSNL                                                                                                   | 10186.58                                                                                               | 10186.58                                                                                               |
|                   | 2100 MHz            | MTNL                                                                                                   | 6564.00                                                                                                | 6564.00                                                                                                |
|                   | 2100 MHz            | Vodafone Ltd.                                                                                          | 11617.86                                                                                               | 11617.86                                                                                               |
|                   | 2100 MHz            | Reliance Telecom Ltd.                                                                                  | 8585.04                                                                                                | 8585.04                                                                                                |
|                   | 2100 MHz            | S Tel Pvt. Ltd.                                                                                        | 337.67                                                                                                 | 337.67                                                                                                 |
|                   | 2100 MHz            | Tata Teleservices                                                                                      | 5864.29                                                                                                | 5864.29                                                                                                |
| 2012              | 1800 MHz            | Bharti Air Tel                                                                                         | 8.67                                                                                                   | 8.67                                                                                                   |
| 2012              | 1800 MHz            | Idea Cellular Ltd.                                                                                     | 2031.31                                                                                                | 15.32*                                                                                                 |
| 2012              | 1800 MHz            | Videocon Telecommunications Ltd.                                                                       | 2221.44                                                                                                | 00**                                                                                                   |
| 2012              | 1800 MHz            | Vodafone Ltd.                                                                                          | 1127.94                                                                                                | 372.22                                                                                                 |
| 2012              | 1800 MHz            | Telewings Communications Services Pvt. Ltd.                                                            | 4018.28                                                                                                | 1326.03***                                                                                             |
| 2012              | 1800 MHz            | * Rs. 684.59 crore set-off given ** Rs. 1506.82 crore set-off given ***Rs. 1658.57 crore set-off given | * Rs. 684.59 crore set-off given ** Rs. 1506.82 crore set-off given ***Rs. 1658.57 crore set-off given | * Rs. 684.59 crore set-off given ** Rs. 1506.82 crore set-off given ***Rs. 1658.57 crore set-off given |
| 2013              | 800 MHz             | Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd.                                                                        | 3639.48                                                                                                | 00#                                                                                                    |
| 2013              | 800 MHz             | # Rs. 1626.32 crore set-off given                                                                      | # Rs. 1626.32 crore set-off given                                                                      | # Rs. 1626.32 crore set-off given                                                                      |

|   2014 | 1800 MHz   | Bharti Airtel                               |   9906.02 |   3268.99 |
|--------|------------|---------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|
|   2014 | 1800 MHz   | Idea Cellular Ltd.                          |   7010.83 |   2313.57 |
|   2014 | 1800 MHz   | Vodafone Ltd.                               |   8383.52 |   2766.56 |
|   2014 | 1800 MHz   | Telewings Communications Services Pvt. Ltd. |    844.72 |    278.76 |
|   2014 | 1800 MHz   | Aircell Ltd.                                |    209.9  |     69.27 |
|   2014 | 1800 MHz   | Reliance Jio                                |  11054.4  |   3647.96 |
|   2014 | 1800 MHz   | Reliance Communications                     |    163.2  |     53.86 |
|   2014 | 900 MHz    | Bharti Airtel                               |   8623.62 |   2155.91 |
|   2014 | 900 MHz    | Idea Cellular Ltd.                          |   3704.8  |    926.2  |
|   2014 | 900 MHz    | Vodafone Ltd.                               |  11261.2  |   2815.3  |
|   2015 | 2100 MHz   | Bharti Airtel                               |   5833.51 |   1925.06 |
|   2015 | 2100 MHz   | Idea Cellular Ltd.                          |    577.97 |    190.73 |
|   2015 | 2100 MHz   | Vodafone Ltd.                               |   3703.93 |   1222.3  |
|   2015 | 1800 MHz   | Bharti Airtel                               |   1040.71 |    354.48 |
|   2015 | 1800 MHz   | Idea Cellular Ltd.                          |   1919.76 |    633.52 |
|   2015 | 1800 MHz   | Vodafone Ltd.                               |    867.48 |    286.27 |
|   2015 | 1800 MHz   | Reliance Jio                                |   1886.86 |    622.66 |
|   2015 | 1800 MHz   | Aircell Ltd.                                |   2250    |    742.5  |
|   2015 | 1800 MHz   | Reliance Communications                     |    393.42 |    129.83 |
|   2015 | 1800 MHz   | Tata Teleservices                           |    631.28 |    208.32 |
|   2015 | 900 MHz    | Bharti Airtel                               |  22254.9  |   5563.72 |
|   2015 | 900 MHz    | Idea Cellular Ltd.                          |  27639.8  |   6909.95 |
|   2015 | 900 MHz    | Vodafone Ltd.                               |  21234.7  |   5308.66 |
|   2015 | 900 MHz    | Reliance Communications                     |   1834.75 |    458.69 |
|   2015 | 800 MHz    | Reliance Jio                                |   7876.42 |   1969.11 |
|   2015 | 800 MHz    | Reliance Communications                     |   2062.32 |    515.58 |
|   2015 | 800 MHz    | Tata Teleservices                           |   7220    |   1805.01 |

(b) Wi-Fi  operates  in  the  delicensed  band,  can  be  established  dynamically  and, therefore,  the  number  of  hotspots  varies  dynamically.  Further,  Wi-Fi  hotspots  can exist  independently  of  3G,4G  and  other  back-  haul  technology,  and  that  Wi-Fi hotspots are not necessary to provide 4G services. Till 30-06-2016 Bharat Sanchar Nigam  Limited  (BSNL)  has  installed  2526  Wi-Fi  hotspots  to  provide  high  wireless internet  services.  For  2016-17  BSNL  has  planned  to  install  3700  Wi-Fi  hotspots. However, these Wi-Fi hotspots cannot provide 4G services.

(c)  &(d) BSNL plans to upgrade its network for 4G GSM services through tender. Based on the outcome of the tender, tentatively BSNL may launch its 4G services progressively  during  next  financial  year  (2017-18).    Mahanagar  Telephone  Nigam Limited (MTNL) has no immediate plans for launching 4G services, as it has already surrendered 2300 MHz band spectrum.

(e) BSNL does not intend to participate on forthcoming phase of spectrum auction for  4G  due  to  financial  and  other  reasons.  As  of  now,  MTNL  has  not  taken  any decision regarding taking part in forthcoming phase of spectrum auction for 4G.

*****************