India’s biggest spectrum auction for 72 GHz (gigahertz) of 5G airwaves worth INR 4.3 lakh crore has started today

The auction is to take place between 10 am and 6 pm, may last up to 2 days

The 5G spectrum bands up for auction are classified as:

Low: 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz

Mid: 3300 MHz

High: 26 GHz)

 INR 70,000 crore to INR 1,00,000 crore is expected to be earned from the 5G auctions

Department of TelecomMuNICATIONS

Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) amounts give an indication of a player’s appetite, strategy and plan in an auction

Jio has made a INR 14,000 crore, Adani Group has put in INR 100 crore

EMD of all the four applicants seeking 5G spectrum share is ₹ 21,800 crore, in 2021 it was INR 13,475 crore, making Jio the clear leader

Players can bid for radio waves worth up to 7-8 times the EMD amounts submitted

India has also allowed firms to pay in 20 equal instalments with 0 upfront payment as it tries to catch up with 5G leaders such as South Korea and China

Bloomberg

 Ultra-fast 5G is 10 times faster than 4G, allowing you to download a 5 GB movie in 35 seconds, against 40 minutes in 4G; 2 hours in 3G and 2.8 days in 2G

Bipartisan Policy Center