India 5G spectrum rollout: Auctions garner Rs 1.49 lakh crore

As India heads for a 5G rollout next month, the response to the spectrum auctions has been resounding according to Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. On the second day, bids worth INR 1.49 lakh crore (precisely INR 1,49,454 crore), were amassed after the ninth round.

At a press conference in New Delhi, the Union Minister added that the auction would continue. Major telcos led by billionaires such as Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio, Sunil Bharti Mittal's Bharti Airtel, Gautam Adani's flagship Adani Enterprises, and Vodafone Idea, are participating in the bids to buy fifth-generation (5G) airwaves.

Vaishnaw said the response on the first day exceeded expectations. Even the 700 MHz band, which had not seen takers in 2016 and 2021, was bid for this time. The government will allocate the spectrum in record time and 5G services are expected to be rolled out by September the minister confirmed.

A total of 72 GHz (gigahertz) of radiowaves worth at least INR 4.3 lakh crore is up for bidding across multiple bands.

What does 5G bring to the table?

The 5G spectrum offers ultra-high speeds (about 10 times faster than 4G), lag-free connectivity, and can enable billions of connected devices to share data in real time.

In addition to powering ultra-low latency connections, which allow downloading full-length high-quality video or movie to a mobile device in a matter of seconds (even in crowded areas), 5G would enable solutions such as e-health, connected vehicles, more immersive augmented reality, metaverse experiences, life-saving use cases, and advanced mobile cloud gaming among others.

Adani group is making a surprise entry into the auctions as competing against Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio and telecom czar Sunil Bharti Mittal's Airtel.

"We are participating in the 5G spectrum auction to provide private network solutions along with enhanced cyber security in the airport, ports, and logistics, power generation, transmission, distribution, and various manufacturing operations," the statement by the group said.

Adani Group plans to use the airwaves for its data center as well as the super app it is building to support businesses from electricity distribution to gas retailing.