5G Spectrum auction Day 1: Govt receives bids worth Rs 11,000 crore

Telecom operators on Tuesday placed bids for spectrum worth Rs 11,000 crore on the first day of the 5G spectrum auction, sources at the Department of Communication (DoT) said. While auctions will continue on Wednesday, the activity level has reached 90 per cent, they added.

Five rounds of bidding saw operators focusing mostly on five of the eight bands on offer — 800 megahertz (MHz), 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, and 2,500 MHz — data released by the DoT showed. Interest in the 800 MHz band is expected to have been sought by Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, people in the know said.