Government Should Make More Spectrum Available: Sunil Mittal

NEW DELHI: The telecom industry requires more spectrum and the government should make it available, Bharti Group chairman Sunil Mittal said.

"We want from the government more spectrum. Every country has the same amount of spectrum and it is not that India has less. It needs to be vacated from other places, that is what other countries have also done," he said on the sidelines of the India Economic Summit.

"I would say the government should make available enough spectrum so that there is a balance between spectrum pricing," he added.

The next spectrum auction is expected to take place in February 2015. In the 1,800 MHz band, 20 circles are going for auction, while in the 900 MHz band, 18 circles will be up for sale.

The recommendations said spectrum should be put to auction in a block size of 2x200 KHz in both the 900 and 1,800 MHz bands.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Oct 15 recommended around 10 percent hike in the reserve price for 1,800 MHz band spectrum auction compared to the last winning price in the February 2014 sale.

In December 2015, seven each licences of Idea Cellular and Reliance Communications, four licences of Bharti Airtel and six licences of Vodafone are scheduled to complete their 20-year term after which they require renewal.

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