The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has scheduled the second round of mobile spectrum from March 11, 2013. The telecom companies interested in buying spectrum are given three weeks to register themselves. The applications should be received by department on or before February 22, 2013.
The auction expects an earning of Rs. 45,000 crore for the government if the airwaves are sold at base price. While the last date for submissions of applications is February 22, the department will release the list of eligible bidders after scrutiny on March 6, 2013.
The bidding process will begin on March 8 with a mock auction followed by the auction of 1800 MHz and 900 MHz on March 11. 800 MHz airwaves would be lastly auctioned after the close of the first auction.
Previously, the companies had to compulsorily bid for 4 blocks of 1.25 MHz each and a maximum of five for GSM spectrum and a minimum of two and a maximum of three in case of CDMA airwaves. In order to encourage bidding, these restrictions have now been removed.
The base price of CDMA spectrum has been reduced by 50 percent and GSM spectrum by 30 percent. Unlike the last time, the department expects heavy bidding for the spectrums in this round and rake in good amount of cash from the companies.
