Regulator's 5G recommendations in 7-10 days; work in final stages: TRAI Secretary
The Hindu
TRAI's views on spectrum pricing and other nuances are crucial as it will set the pace for the auctions
Telecom regulator TRAI's much-awaited recommendations on 5G spectrum pricing and other modalities will come out in the next 7-10 days, a senior official said on Tuesday.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Secretary V. Raghunandan told PTI that the spectrum reference given to the regulator spanned multiple bands and thereby involved detailed and exhaustive deliberations.
"We are in the final stages, and will come out with the recommendations shortly in 7-10 days," Mr. Raghunandan said.
TRAI's views on spectrum pricing and other nuances are crucial as it will set the pace for the auctions and subsequent rollout of the fifth-generation services that will usher in ultra-high-speed and spawn new-age services and business models.
The telecom industry was expecting the regulator's recommendations to come by March-end.
The telecom regulator, in November-end last year, had released a detailed consultation paper to discuss threadbare the modalities for auction of spectrum across multiple bands, including pricing, quantum and other conditions — preparing the groundwork for upcoming 5G auctions.
Trai's comprehensive consultation paper runs into 207 pages and throws up 74 questions for industry-wide discussion, touching on crucial aspects like valuation and reserve price of 5G spectrum, quantum of the spectrum, block size, eligibility conditions for participation in the auction, roll-out obligations, spectrum cap, and surrender of the spectrum.