Telecom regulator Trai has sought stakeholder views on the auction of three new spectrum bands — 37–37.5 GHz, 37.5–40 GHz and 42.5–43.5 GHz for mobile services.
In its consultation paper released Thursday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has said the government plans to release 4,000 MHz for 5G services.
These blocks are different from the bands — 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz, 2,500 MHz, 3,300 MHz, and 26 GHz — which will be sold in the upcoming spectrum auctions of June 6.
A number of issues are up for discussion in the consultation paper such as pricing, validity, preferred block size, spectrum caps and rollout obligations. The regulator wants to complete the discussions by May 16.
In all, 4,000 MHz will be available in each licensed service area (LSA) in these bands.
While the 37-37.5 GHz band is for mobile services, the 37.5-40 GHz and 42.5-43.5 GHz bands are for mobile and satellite gateway links.
Trai wants to know if spectrum in these frequency ranges should be assigned for 20 years, as prevalent in the existing frequency bands, or for a shorter period.
Views have been sought on the service areas for the spectrum: whether the radiowaves should be assigned for the existing Licensed Service Areas for access service — telecom circles/metros — or whether they should be assigned for smaller service areas.
The regulator wants to know whether the value of the spectrum be linked with auction-determined price of any other band by using some multiple or spectral efficiency factor.
The sector regulator also sought stakeholder opinion on what should be the method of valuation of the spectrum. “Should international spectrum prices that is the auction determined price/ reserve price of other countries in 37–37.5 GHz, 37.5–40 GHz and 42.5–43.5 GHz spectrum bands serve as a basis for the purpose of valuation of these bands”.
“These millimetre wave bands offer much higher capacity for small cell coverage and are critical for 5G and 6G services rollout for critical sectors, such as health, robotics and industry 4.0,” ITU-APT Foundation of India president Bharat Bhatia said.
