Need to lower reserve price of 5G: DoT official

New Delhi: There is a need to expedite implementation of new telecom policy approved by the Cabinet in 2018, and lower the reserve price for 5G spectrum, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

Department of Telecom Member (Services) Bharat Kumar Jog said forward looking policies are needed to derive benefits from the emerging technologies. "National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018 seeks to unlock transformative power of digital communications network to achieve the goal of digital empowerment and well being of the people of India. There is a need to expedite implementation of NDCP 2018.

The government is working with all stakeholders for the same," Jog said at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2020. The NDCP 2018 has most of the targets set to be achieved by 2022. However, several strategies that have been envisaged under the policy approved almost two years back are yet to be implemented including rationalisation of taxes, levies and spectrum price.

"The policy initiatives required from the government for 5G must include and ensure spectrum avail ability at affordable prices, lower reserve price, uniform RoW (right of way) policy for fiberisation etc," Jog said. Telecom operators have been demanding the government to make available spectrum for 5G at the earliest and lower the reserve price.

Mobile service providers can start 5G services in India once suitable airwave frequencies are allotted to them by the government.

Spectrum auctions in India were held every year between 2012 to 2016. No auctions have been held in the last four years. The government started the process of spectrum auction but has not clarified the timeline for the sale to commence.

Trai has recommended base price of proposed 5G spectrum in 3,300-3,600 Mhz band at about Rs 492 crore per Mhz unpaired spectrum on all India basis.

Telecom operators interested in buying radiowaves for 5G will have to shell out a minimum of Rs 9,840 crore on all-India basis to buy spectrum in 3,300-3,600 Mhz band as Trai has suggested that it "should be put to auction in the block size of 20 MHz.