5G spectrum auctions may be delayed to July next year
India’s 5G spectrum auctions will likely be delayed again with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) informing the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) that it is likely to submit its pricing recommendations only in March.
Government officials say if that is the case, then 5G auctions will happen in July and not April-May, as the government had earlier announced. As a result, the rollout of mobile telephony services based on 5G starting from urban pockets may get pushed into 2023. Telcos have said that they will take six months to start offering 5G services from when the spectrum is allotted.
“Trai will submit its final recommendations to the telecom department by March. The auctions in April-May are unlikely and a July timeframe is possible,” said an official aware of the development.
nch 5G services – at least in some pockets – on August 15. All telcos are currently running trials with vendors to develop India-specific use cases.