The stage is all set for Indian Telcos to fight it out in one of the fiercest battles for 3G spectrum. The day – 16th of January. Yes, the Indian Govt. has officially declared the details of the much awaited 3G auction. Here’s how the timeline looks like:
- 23rd Dec: Pre-Bid Conference
- 5th Jan: All applications to be submitted by this day
- 9th Jan: Declaration of the eligible Telcos
- 12-13th Jan – Mock Auction
- 16th Jan – The Day
From a capacity standpoint, reports of inadequate room for all players holds true, with space for only about 2-4 players available in each circle. Given below is the availability in some circles:
- Delhi: 2 players
- Mumbai: 4 players or more
- Himachal: 3 players
- Gujarat: 3 players
- UP: 2 players
- West Bengal: 1 player
Clearing the air of speculations, the ministry also clarified the criteria for foreign players to bid for spectrum. Companies can bid as 100% entities, but will have to partner with an Indian company to the extent of 26% – Indian cos. share, before it launches its services.
