Bharti, Jio and Vodafone are final bidders for 5G spectrum auction worth Rs 96,317 crore: DoT

New Delhi [India], May 20 (ANI): The Department of Telecommunications has released the list of final bidders for the spectrum auction in various band categories.
The department has named Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and Reliance Jio Infocomm as the final bidders in the spectrum auction of 10,523.15 MHz of 5G airwaves worth Rs 96,317.65 crore in eight key bands.
According to the list, the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) amount by Airtel is Rs 1,050 crore, Vodafone Idea's EMD amount is Rs 300 crore, and Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd has an EMD amount of Rs 3,000 crore.
The Department of Telecommunications has allocated eligibility points to Airtel at 7,613, to Vodafone Idea at 2,200 points, and to Reliance Jio at 21,363 points.
The department had put up an auction of airwaves in the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 26 GHz bands. However, premium 5G airwaves in the 700 MHz band were not auctioned this time around as supplies have run out.
Further, companies whose licenses and spectrum are expiring in calendar 2024, and who don't hold any spectrum, bought through previous auctions in a particular circle or band, will also be treated as "new entrants" in the sale.
Under the spectrum auction rules, the DoT has pegged the net worth eligibility for bidders at Rs 100 crore per LSA, with Jammu & Kashmir and Northeast circles being exceptions where the net worth requirement is lower at Rs 50 crore.
Airtel needs to renew its airwaves in J&K, Odisha, Bihar, UP (East), West Bengal and Assam. Vodafone Idea needs to renew its spectrum in West Bengal and UP West circles.
In the last spectrum sale in July 2022, which was India's maiden 5G auction, the government mopped up over Rs 1.5 lakh crore. It had offered over 72 GHz of airwaves for 20 years across 10 5G bands, worth Rs 4.3 lakh crore at reserve prices. (ANI)