DoT Seeks TRAI’s Recommendations on Pricing, Modalities for Upcoming Spectrum Auction

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has formally approached the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for its recommendations on key aspects of the upcoming spectrum auction, including reserve prices, block sizes, quantum, and other procedural modalities, according to sources.

The DoT is seeking TRAI’s inputs for auctioning spectrum across eight existing mobile access bands—namely 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz, 2,500 MHz, 3,300 MHz, and 2,600 MHz.

In addition, the DoT has requested fresh recommendations from the regulator for auctioning spectrum in the 600 MHz band, which is being considered for future telecom use including 5G expansion.

The move marks the initial phase in preparing for India’s next spectrum auction, which is critical to meeting the growing demand for mobile broadband and supporting network expansion by telecom operators. The TRAI is expected to hold consultations with stakeholders before submitting its recommendations.

The timing of the auction and final pricing will depend on TRAI’s advice and subsequent decisions by the government.