Telcos get six-month 5G trial extension, spectrum auction likely delayed

Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have received a six-month extension from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to conduct 5G trials till March 2022. The move though is set to push the 5G spectrum auctions into the second half of 2022.

“DoT gave an extension for 5G trials for a period of six months. We received a letter from the DoT earlier this week,” a telco official old ET on the condition of anonymity.

Telcos, whose 5G trial permits draw to an end on November 26, had cited lack of readiness of the 5G ecosystem partners as one of the reasons for seeking extension of the trial time period.

With the extension, the government won’t be able to hold the 5G spectrum sale in the January-March quarter of 2022 that it had spoken about.

Another telco executive said that a lot of work needs to be done on spectrum availability and its quantum. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is yet to begin consultations for suggesting base prices and quantity of airwave bands including the 700 MHz, 3.3 -3.6 Ghz and the millimeter wave.

“A lot of spectrum is yet to be vacated by the defence and ISRO,” the executive said.

India’s Ministry of Defence currently holds some spectrum in the 3300-3400 MHz band, while the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) holds spectrum in the 3400-3425 MHz band.

The industry is hoping that Trai cuts the starting price of the 3300-3600 MHz and 700 MHz bands, and suggests rational base rates for the other fresh 5G bands.

According to the last reserve price fixed by the telecom regulator, 100 Mhz of 5G spectrum in the 3.3-3.6 GHz band, which would be the average size required to deploy the 5G technology, would be priced at Rs 50,000 crore. Telcos say the price is too expensive for them to buy.

In May, the DoT allotted 5G trial spectrum for six months in the 700 Mhz, 3.5 Ghz and 26 Ghz bands, paving the way for telcos to partner and develop India-relevant use cases on the next-gen fast wireless broadband technology.

Since then all three telecom operators have entered into a number partnerships and formed strategic alliances to test and develop various consumer and enterprise use cases.

While Jio is testing its own indigenously developed 5G RAN and Core technologies, Airtel and Vodafone Idea have partnered with Nokia and Ericsson to deploy trial networks in various cities. However, despite a push from the DoT, no operator is doing it with 5Gi.

COAI’s director general SP Kochhar recently informed the DoT that it was not possible for telcos to test 5Gi during ongoing trials due to unavailability of equipment, chipsets and devices supporting the local 5G standard.