EXPLAINER | The noise over satellite spectrum

Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal’s statement that satcom spectrum should be allocated via auctions for retail services in urban areas has added a new twist to the issue. FE explains what this means and whether such segregation of services is feasible.

Auction versus administrative allocation

In the telecommunications space, auction is a process where operators bid for the spectrum after a reserve price is set by the government.