BSNL-MTNL surrendered 58.8 MHz spectrum ahead of Spectrum Auction 2021

State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) have in the month of January surrendered spectrum in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz band. In the amendment to the NIA released on 29th Jan, DoT had clarified that the quantum surrendered by BSNL-MTNL has been put to auction which will commence today.

BSNL-MTNL surrender 17.4 MHz spectrum in 900 MHz band

BSNL has surrendered 0.6 MHz spectrum each in Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal in the 900 MHz band. BSNL has also surrendered 1.2 MHz spectrum each in Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, North East, Uttar Pradesh (East), and Uttar Pradesh (West).

MTNL meanwhile has surrendered 1.2 MHz spectrum each in Delhi and Mumbai. The spectrum in 900 MHz surrendered by BSNL-MTNL LSA-wise mop ups to 17.4 MHz on a cumulative basis which has been put to auction.

BSNL surrenders 41.4 MHz spectrum in 1800 MHz band

BSNL has surrendered 3.8 MHz spectrum each in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, North East, Uttar Pradesh (East), and Uttar Pradesh (West) in 1800 MHz band. BSNL has also surrendered 1.8 MHz spectrum each in Kerala, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.

The spectrum in 1800 MHz band surrendered by BSNL LSA-wise mops up to 41.4 MHz spectrum on a cumulative basis which has been put to auction.

The spectrum put to auction surrendered by BSNL-MTNL amounts to 58.8 MHz which is over and above the spectrum being put to auction due to the expiry of old service licenses of Reliance Jio, Reliance Communications, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea.

Apart from the spectrum holdings expiring in 2021 that we reported earlier this year, Bharti Airtel’s 9.2 MHz spectrum holding in Tamil Nadu (excluding Chennai) and Vodafone Idea’s 8 MHz spectrum holding in Chennai (only) is also among the spectrum blocks put to auction this time due to expiry of old service license.

In a nutshell, you have 58.8 MHz spectrum surrendered by BSNL-MTNL and 215.45 MHz spectrum holdings assigned to private telecom operators that has been put to auction due to expiry of old service licenses.