The Union cabinet led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the proposal submitted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to conduct an auction of spectrum for 5G airwaves, according to a press release by the government. The auction will commence on July 26, 2022, the government revealed in another release. https://twitter.com/baxiabhishek/status/1537040450510790656 Why it matters: The cabinet approval was critical because it was the last step in order for the auction to take place. The auction will decide how much spectrum will be assigned to successful bidders who will be responsible for providing 5G services across the country. Why is the auction important: It is important as it will decide which telco picks up spectrum that is an integral part of the entire 5G ecosystem. It is only after the auction that telcos can begin to roll out 5G services in the country. The 5G technology stands to impact businesses and citizens significantly. How much spectrum will be auctioned: A total of 72097.85 MHz of spectrum with a validity period of 20 years will be put to auction, the release stated. The auction will be held for spectrum in the following frequency bands- Low (600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz), Mid (3300 MHz), High (26 GHz). The bands in the mid and high frequencies will be reserved for 5G which is set to be at least 10 times faster than 4G, the release added. What do we know about the auction:…
