The government received bids worth a total of about Rs 45,000 crore from telecom companies on the second day on Tuesday. At the end of day 2, 10 rounds of bidding have been completed. Bids have been received in all 22 Service Areas in 1800 MHz band and in all 3 Service Areas in 900 MHz band. Thus, bidding has taken place in all the service areas in both bands.
The premium 900 Mhz band in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata witnessing continuing demand.
Delhi witnessed a sudden drop in the demand for spectrum to 7 MHz (aggregate demand). The price rose 23.7 per cent during the day as compared with the first day, when demand and available spectrum was on a par in the circle. The price rise, if compared with the original reserve price, would be 47.5 per cent.
Mumbai witnessed significant jump of 68.5 per cent at the end of the second day in spectrum price as compared with the government’s reserve price. This is a rise of 16.6 per cent from Monday.
While Mumbai attracted the most aggressive bidding, with demand of an extra 5 MHz spectrum on the first day, this came down to 18 MHz on the second day (16 MHz is for grabs).
Demand in Kolkata dropped by only 1 MHz to 12 MHz (14 MHz up for sale). The price of spectrum rose about five per cent from the first day’s provisional price in the Kolkata circle, while the total jump was 46.5 per cent as against the original base price.
Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal expressed hope that the government will get enough revenue to make sure that the Finance Minister (P Chidambaram) has a big smile on his face.
"We are very happy the way auction is moving forward”, he said.
The DoT has put on the block about 385 MHz of radiowaves in the 1800 MHz band in 22 circles and 46 MHz in the 900 MHz band in three circles of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.
The 2G spectrum in 1800 Mhz band was put for auction following a Supreme Court order of February 2013.
The 3G and BWA auction together fetched government over Rs 1.05 lakh crore in 2010. The 3G auction in 2010 lasted for 34 days while auction for broadband wireless access airwaves in 16 days. |