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Tag: spectrum

  • Indian Telecom Giants Challenge New Spectrum Plan, Push for Greater 5G and 6G Allocation

    Indian Telecom Giants Challenge New Spectrum Plan, Push for Greater 5G and 6G Allocation

    The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in India has formally introduced its National Frequency Allocation Plan 2025 (NFAP-2025), though it has encountered opposition from mobile operators who opine it does not sufficiently address the nation’s future connectivity requirements.

    The NFAP-2025 Policy

    The NFAP-2025, operational since December 30, 2025, outlines the management and allocation of the radio frequency spectrum throughout India. The DoT states that the policy’s objective is to synchronize the national spectrum policy with international standards, while also fostering emerging technologies and next-generation connectivity.

    In line with this plan, the spectrum ranging from 8.3 kHz to 3000 GHz is designated for assorted radio communication services. The government asserts this will facilitate the deployment of 5G, 5G-Advanced, prospective 6G networks, satellite broadband services, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications.

    Contention Around the Upper 6 GHz Band

    Dissent, however, has surfaced over the earmarking of the upper 6 GHz band, particularly the 6425–7125 MHz range for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT). While increasing the mid-band spectrum availability for mobile services, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) contends it’s insufficient. The COAI has reasserted its established demand that the entire 6 GHz band, spanning 5925-7125 MHz, should be allocated for IMT usage.

    This disagreement partly arises from the government’s previous decision, declared in May 2025, to deregulate 500 MHz of spectrum in the lower 6 GHz band for indoor Wi-Fi use with low power. While expected to hasten the launch of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, operators maintain it diminishes the spectrum available for wide-area mobile networks.

    Future Data Demand & Spectrum Allocation

    COAI’s Director-General, Dr. SP Kochhar, has cautioned that catering to future data demand will necessitate considerably larger, continuous blocks of mid-band spectrum. He projected that every operator will require a minimum of 400 MHz of such spectrum to provide affordable, high-quality 5G and future 6G services.

    In Dr. Kochhar’s view, next-generation networks will increasingly depend on large, uninterrupted spectrum blocks to support ultra-high data throughput, low latency, immersive digital services, applications driven by artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, and intelligent mobility.

    As India propels its digital transformation, the debate on the optimal way to balance spectrum allocation between mobile networks, Wi-Fi services, and emerging technologies in the 6 GHz band is projected to escalate.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the main aim of India’s National Frequency Allocation Plan 2025 (NFAP-2025)?
    The primary objective of NFAP-2025 is to align national spectrum policy with global standards while supporting emerging technologies and next-generation connectivity across India.

    What is the contention within the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) regarding the NFAP-2025?
    The COAI argues that the allocation of the upper 6 GHz band for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) is insufficient. They demand that the entire 6 GHz band should be allocated for IMT usage.

    What future requirements of mobile operators does Dr. SP Kochhar highlight?
    Dr. Kochhar emphasizes the need for considerably large, uninterrupted blocks of mid-band spectrum to cater to future data demand, projecting a minimum requirement of 400 MHz per operator to deliver high-quality 5G and future 6G services.

  • Australia opens application for low band 5G spectrum auction

    Australia opens application for low band 5G spectrum auction

    The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has opened applications for the upcoming 2021 auction of 5G spectrum in the 850/900 MHz band.

    Low band spectrum forms the backbone of 5G connectivity in Australia. Spectrum in the sub‑1 GHz bands can carry signals across longer distances and is essential to the deployment of wide-area networks, such as mobile services and fixed wireless internet.

    ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said the allocation of 5G-optimised spectrum in the 850/900 MHz band will support new and existing operators to better deliver services across regional, rural and remote areas of Australia, as well as to major population centres.

    “The spectrum available in this auction will facilitate a wide range of new services that will benefit businesses and consumers across Australia,” Ms O’Loughlin said.

    The ACMA will auction 70 MHz of paired spectrum in the 850/900 MHz band across all of Australia. The application period runs from 1 September 2021 to 21 September 2021 with the spectrum auction scheduled to commence in late November/early December 2021.

    “We encourage all interested parties to apply during this window so they can participate in the auction in late 2021,” Ms O’Loughlin said.

    The spectrum auction is an opportunity for interested parties to bid for spectrum that will accommodate the deployment of 5G services in Australia.

    The ACMA has prepared an applicant information package (AIP) for interested parties, which provides a detailed auction guide, information on the spectrum available and starting prices.

    The auction forms part of the Australian Government’s plan to make 2021 the   Year of 5G. The ACMA auctioned high-band spectrum in the 26 GHz band in April this year for a total revenue of $647 million.

  • Dtac, CAT, TOT to collaborate on 5G testbeds

    Dtac, CAT, TOT to collaborate on 5G testbeds

    Thai state owned operators TOT and CAT Telecom and privately-owned operator Dtac will collaborate on the development of 5G testbeds in the nation.

    The operators have signed a public-private partnership agreement to conduct both laboratory and live testing of 5G use cases at the 5G testbeds at Chulalongkorn University and the Eastern Economic Corridor.

    Applications due to be tested will focus on applications including smart farming, smart cities and environmental management.

    Specifically, TOT will test smart poles for smart city applications, CAT Telecom will trial 5G equipped air pollution sensors, and Dtac plans to test 5G connected drones to support real-time precision farming.

    The report cites Dtac CEO Alexandra Reich as noting that collaboration with vertical industries including co-investments will be essential for securing the resources required to pay for 5G infrastructure development.

    Meanwhile Dtac is urging the government to develop a clear 5G spectrum roadmap encompassing high, mid and low band spectrum, and including a clear allocation timeline, in order to support the industry’s preparations for the launch of 5G in Thailand.

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  • India may allocate 5G trial spectrum in June

    India may allocate 5G trial spectrum in June

    The Indian government is reportedly planning to allocate spectrum to mobile operators for 5G trial services in June.

    A panel established to set the terms for 5G trials is expected to soon begin deliberations on the spectrum that will be allocated for the trials, as well as the trial time period and other factors, citing government sources.

    Operators could then commence trials in July or August, and a spectrum auction for commercial 5G services may take place from September onwards.

    According to the report, the Department of Telecom is currently in the process of appointing an auctioneer and drafting bid documents for the online auction.

    Incumbent operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have reportedly engaged vendors including Huawei, Ericsson and Nokia over the proposed trials.

    But the mobile industry has expressed concern that the expected high cost of 5G rollouts could further damage the financial performance of what is already a highly indebted industry.

    The market’s three operators – which also include Reliance Jio Infocomm – have an estimated total net debt of nearly 8 trillion rupees ($114.15 billion), due in part to high spectrum prices during previous auctions.

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  • Singapore to raise $815m from spectrum auction

    Singapore to raise $815m from spectrum auction

    Singtel has emerged as the biggest spender in Singapore’s latest mobile spectrum auction, bidding nearly half of the total S$1.14 billion ($815.2 million) set to be raised.

    Singtel will pay S$563.7 million for 75MHz of spectrum, consisting of 40 MHz of 700-MHz spectrum, 10 MHz of 900-MHz spectrum, a right of first refusal for a further 10 MHz of 900-MHz spectrum and 15MHz in the 2.5-GHz band.

    The auction of spectrum in the four bands had four winning bidders. StarHub was the next highest bidder, committing to pay S$349.6 million for 30 MHz of 700-MHz spectrum, 20 MHz in the 2.5-GHz band and a right of first refusal to 10 MHz of 900-MHz spectrum.

    M1 bid S$208 million for 20 MHz of 700-MHz spectrum and a right of first refusal to 10 MHz in the 900-MHz frequency band.

    New market entrant TPG Telecom will meanwhile pay S$23.8 million for 10 MHz of 2500-MHz spectrum. TPG last year won the auction to become Singapore’s fourth mobile operator after bidding S$105 million for a provisional allotment of 60 MHz of 900-MHz and 2.3-GHz spectrum.

    A total of 175-MHz of spectrum was allocated during the auction, and this includes the 900-MHz spectrum due to be re-farmed following the retirement of 2G services. But the total allotment was 50 MHz lower than the 225 MHz requested by the industry, because no other spectrum was available for allocation.

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  • Indonesia to hold limited spectrum

    Indonesia to hold limited spectrum

    The Indonesian government plans to hold a limited tender for unused spectrum in the 2.1-GHz and 2.3-GHz bands by the middle of the year.

    Communications and informatics minister Rudiantara has announced that the government expects to issue the terms of the tender process by the end of March, and to announce the winner by mid-year.

    Only existing operators will be entitled to participate in the limited tender, the minister said.

    The 2.1-GHz band is used by operators including Telkomsel, Indosat Ooreedoo, XL Axiata and Hutchison 3 Indonesia for 3G services, while the 2.3-GHz band is used for 4G wireless broadband services in parts of the country.

    Plans to reallocate the unused capacity in the 2.1-GHz band returned by Axis Telecom in 2014 following its merger into XL Axiata have been in the works since 2015, but the process has been delayed by technical and other difficulties.

    According to the report, only half of the unused 30 MHz of capacity in the 2.3-GHz band will be allocated.

    Indonesian operators, facing a spectrum crunch in major cities, have responded enthusiastically to the announcement, and are urging the government to ensure there are no further delays.

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  • Philippines to crack down on spectrum hoarding

    Philippines to crack down on spectrum hoarding

    The Philippines’ Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) plans to crack down on spectrum hoarders, threatening to recall unused frequencies and potentially auction them to a third or even fourth local player.

    A recent audit of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shows that a number of companies are not using the spectrum that has been assigned to them, and many of these have unpaid spectrum usage fees owing.

    In response, the government plans to ask these companies to explain their lack of use or their non payment of spectrum fees. In cases where it is deemed warranted, the government plans to initiate recall procedures for the spectrum. The report cites DICT undersecretary Jorge Sarmiento as stating that there is enough unused spectrum in the Philippines’ airspace to allocate to a third or even fourth player.

    The NTC is preparing to hold a new entrant spectrum auction by the middle of the year, as part of efforts to attract new competition to break up the Globe-PLDT duopoly.

    The ministry is also under pressure to resolve consumer complaints about the quality of internet services in the Philippines, and recently announced it will hold a “no-holds-barred” summit to address these concerns.

    The audit shows that spectrum has been allocated but is not in use in the 400-MHz, 700-MHz, 800-MHz, 2500-MHz, 3.4-GHz and 10-GHz bands.

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  • Bangladesh’s CityCell has spectrum reinstated

    Bangladesh’s CityCell has spectrum reinstated

    Cash-strapped Bangladeshi operator CityCell has resumed operations after having its spectrum temporarily reinstated by a Supreme Court ruling.

    The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) revoked CityCell’s spectrum last month for failing to pay its spectrum renewal, license and associated fees.

    But the court has asked the government to restore CityCell’s spectrum and allow it to continue operations for the time being.

    If CityCell fails to pay 1 billion taka ($12.7 million) to BTRC by November 19, the regulator will have the authority to revoke the spectrum again, the court order states.

    CityCell has been operating since 1993 but has a low market share and revenue base. The company earned just 1.39 billion taka in revenue during the 2014-15 financial year. The BTRC has calculated that CityCell owes 4.77 billion taka in unpaid fees.

    The operator is 44.5% owned by Singtel, 37.9% owned by Pacific Motors and 17.5% owned by Far East Telecom.

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  • India’s mega spectrum auction raises just $9.8b

    India’s mega spectrum auction raises just $9.8b

    India’s major spectrum auction has ended after five days of bidding, raising 657.89 billion rupees ($9.86 billion), far less than the up to $83 billion the government had been anticipating.

    Just 40% of the airwaves placed on the auction block were sold, with no bids at all for the expensive 700-MHz and 900-MHz bands, the Economic Times reported.

    Vodafone emerged as the biggest spender in the auction, spending 202.8 billion rupees for 2 x 82.6MHz of FDD and 200MHz of TDD spectrum across the 1800-MHz, 2100-MHz and 2500-MHz bands in all its key telecoms circles. The operator now has 4G capability in 17 of India’s 22 circles.

    Newcomer Reliance Jio Infocomm paid 136.72 billion rupees to build a warchest of 269.2MHz of additional spectrum in the 800-MHz, 1800-MHz and 2300-MHz bands.

    The operator acquired spectrum across all 22 telecoms circles, but in no circle did the company acquire spectrum in all three bands. Jio said its total spectrum footprint has now grown to 1,108-MHz, further cementing its lead in terms of liberalized spectrum holdings.

    India’s largest operator Bharti Airtel paid 142.44 billion rupees for an additional 173.8MHz of spectrum in the 1800-MHz, 2100-MHz and 2300-MHz bands. The operator now has 4G spectrum in all circles. Idea Cellular spent around $1.92 billion.

    All seven participants in the auction acquired at least some spectrum

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  • India’s spectrum mega-auction set for Sept 29

    India’s spectrum mega-auction set for Sept 29

    India’s Department of Telecom has set the date for India’s largest spectrum auction to date, announcing that bidding will commence on September 29.

    The massive auction will be preceded by a pre-bid auction on Saturday. The government has also pledged to make the spectrum available to the winners within 30 days of receiving an upfront payment.

    In total more than 2,300 MHz of spectrum divided into 126 blocks will be auctioned next month. Analysts expect bidding to reach as high as $14.8 billion, while the government believes bidding could reach up to $83 billion.

    But operators have been less than enthusiastic, with Airtel’s CEO recently announcing that the company sees no “great need” for more spectrum, and Telenor revealing that its Indian subsidiary will sit out of the auction.

    Specturum in the 700-MHz, 800-MHz, 900-MHz, 1800-MHz, 2100-MHz and 2300-MHz bands will be put on the block.

    Winners of spectrum in the three lower bands will be required to pay at least 25% of their total bid within 10 days of the auction concluding, while the other bands will require a 50% down-payment.

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  • Philippines’ new ICT chief orders spectrum audit

    Philippines’ new ICT chief orders spectrum audit

    The chief of the new Philippines Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has ordered the inventory of used and unused telecoms spectra.

    In his first public speaking engagement and media interview since assumption into office on July 1, DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima said frequency is a scarce public resource and the patrimony of the nation.

    “I do not want public telephone entities to be warehousing frequencies, meaning getting assigned frequencies from the government, storing it without using it but using it for speculative purposes,” he said.

    He clarified that this act is contrary to the Philippine Constitution and a public service law which states that frequency must be assigned only to those who can make it effective and efficient use of it.

    “If they (telecommunications companies) have not used these frequencies within a reasonable time as stated in the position of giving or assigning to them the frequency, we better start revoking these frequencies because it ought to be assigned to telcos that can effectively and efficiently utilize them,” he added.

    The DICT Chief, however, gave assurances that due process will be observed if the department will resort to revocation of spectrum licenses or permits if some telcos are found to have not used them within the prescribed period.

    “We will hear them out,” he said, further clarifying that what telcos pay for is only the use of the frequency. “They do not become owners of these frequencies because they can never be owned under the Philippine Constitution.”

    The issue stemmed from the recent co-purchase of the telco business of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) by the country’s two dominant carriers – PLDT and Globe Telecom, which the government’s antitrust body, the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) now wants investigated.

    Salalima said frequency is crucial to the operations of telecommunications companies in servicing the public.

    “This is the reason why to my mind, PLDT and Globe have to purchase control of the holding company of SMC so that at least they can have part of the frequency (not the entirety) needed for them to further improve the service,” he said.

    He clarified though that he is leaving it to the PCC to decide on the issue of whether the telco buyout deal is in the best interest of the public. His concern is the efficient use of spectrum, especially in light of the need to improve internet connection speed in the country and public services.

    Newly elected President Rodrigo Duterte has given local telecommunications players one year to shape up telco services and internet speed or ship out.

    The DICT, which was given the mandate to make policies and plans in regard to telco services and the country’s ICT infrastructure, is still in the transition period. It is currently awaiting the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law that created the new department only last May.

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  • Nepal preparing to allocate 4G spectrum

    Nepal preparing to allocate 4G spectrum

    Nepal’s Ministry of Information and Communications is reportedly planning to amend spectrum usage policy to allow the nation’s operators to commercially launch 4G services.

    The ministry has decided to adopt a technology neutral policy to allow operators to launch 4G using the 1800-MHz spectrum band.

    The ministry had asked previously asked telecoms regulator NTA to devise a 4G action plan within a week that would involve allocating 4G spectrum by the end of the fiscal year in mid-July, the report states.

    In response the NTA appointed a consultant to determine spectrum prices, and expects to have the action plan and pricing policy ready to present by tomorrow.

    The NTA has repeatedly denied requests from operators including Nepal Telecom and Ncell to allow them to launch 4G services due to confusion over spectrum usage policy. Amending the legislation would clear up this confusion and pave the way for rollouts.

    The ministry has also asked the authority to submit a draft of a new M&A policy for telecom operators and prepare a detailed plan for the proceeds of the Rural Telecom Development Fund.

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