OTF Exclusive Pan India Telecom Spectrum holding chart

[Esmail]

also update total in each sheet "sub ghz" midband and
mention feb2024 in 900 and 1800 sheet, which is exiring for aircel , airtel etc.

I have previously avoided including BSNL holding in the sub GHz and mid band sheet since there isn't complete clarity on the holding due to it being a PSU but I can include it with the data that we have currently in the chart.
As for the expiring spectrum next year, I have never mentioned months just the year of expiry. And along with Airtel and Aircel even some spectrum of Vi is expiring.

 

[k939]

can someone help me understand the situation with Aircel and Rcom spectrum holdings? Like I can see a lot of the spectrum is valid till 2033/35 even beyond.
What is happening to this spectrum? Does Jio use it under some agreement with RCom? Or does it go waste? Or will the government refarm it?

I am a novice regarding spectrum matters.

 

[Esmail]

can someone help me understand the situation with Aircel and Rcom spectrum holdings? Like I can see a lot of the spectrum is valid till 2033/35 even beyond.
What is happening to this spectrum? Does Jio use it under some agreement with RCom? Or does it go waste? Or will the government refarm it?

I am a novice regarding spectrum matters.

As of today it remains unused (spectrum sharing deal between Jio and Rcom is over). Though Rcom and Aircel are obligated to pay the installments to DoT whether they use it or not. If they fail to pay it then DoT has the right to take it back and auction it.
Currently both Rcom and Aircel are undergoing insolvency proceedings and the resolution partner will be able to monetize the assets like Spectrum holding by themselves auctioning it at a discount on the current market rate if existing operators are willing to buy it.
But this would have been useful in the earlier time when spectrum scarcity was prevalent. Now there is plenty available directly from the government and operators like Jio who were earlier interested in buying Rcom spectrum aren't interested anymore since buying a bankrupt telco's spectrum may make them liable to pay their past dues since we know how our government can be unpredictable like we saw in the AGR case.
So now the only hope for that spectrum getting free is either DoT taking it back or waiting for another 10 to 13 years for it to expire.

 

[k939]

As of today it remains unused (spectrum sharing deal between Jio and Rcom is over). Though Rcom and Aircel are obligated to pay the installments to DoT whether they use it or not. If they fail to pay it then DoT has the right to take it back and auction it.
Currently both Rcom and Aircel are undergoing insolvency proceedings and the resolution partner will be able to monetize the assets like Spectrum holding by themselves auctioning it at a discount on the current market rate if existing operators are willing to buy it.
But this would have been useful in the earlier time when spectrum scarcity was prevalent. Now there is plenty available directly from the government and operators like Jio who were earlier interested in buying Rcom spectrum aren't interested anymore since buying a bankrupt telco's spectrum may make them liable to pay their past dues since we know how our government can be unpredictable like we saw in the AGR case.
So now the only hope for that spectrum getting free is either DoT taking it back or waiting for another 10 to 13 years for it to expire.

thank you for the detailed and clear explanation.

One related question, in our mobile networks manual search setting, we still see some MCC/MNC like 40512(in Kolkata). Is it the erstwhile Rcom network? Is RCOM still operating - even in some previous TRAI reports you have analysed, we see RCOM will like <0.1 % share? Shouldn't it be like absolute zero like aircel?

edit: i just checked the mar 2023 report, and RCOM still show 1.45 lakhs users across 16 circles in wireline and 2 thousand users in wireless with 85% VLR. Just wondering who these users are, and how do they recharge etc

 

[Esmail]

edit: i just checked the mar 2023 report, and RCOM still show 1.45 lakhs users across 16 circles in wireline and 2 thousand users in wireless with 85% VLR. Just wondering who these users are, and how do they recharge etc

Mostly corporate connections (B2B) not for general users like you and me (B2C). And the recharge or bill payment would be happening at the company level through the contract agreement.

 

[Esmail]

also update total in each sheet "sub ghz" midband

This has been done. I have mentioned the sub-GHz, mid-band and total holding of BSNL across all circles in the chart and table in the article and have also included it in the bar chart in the featured image. Earlier it only had details of private operators.

 

[saketk11]

This has been done. I have mentioned the sub-GHz, mid-band and total holding of BSNL across all circles in the chart and table in the article and have also included it in the bar chart in the featured image. Earlier it only had details of private operators.

that's great

letus wait till december 2023 to get more clarity on AIRCEL expiring spectrum, anyway airtel need replacement before feb2024.

 

[Esmail]

anyway airtel need replacement before feb2024.

Airtel has already bought sufficient spectrum in the past auctions to let it continue operations in the circles where it's spectrum is expiring next year. They have 5 to 10 MHz of liberalised spectrum in the 900 and 1800 MHz bands in all the circles where the spectrum is expiring next year.
That's the reason DoT is in no hurry to conduct the auction, otherwise it is mandatory to conduct an auction for the expiring spectrum at least 6 months prior to the expiry.

 

[TheAndroidFreak]

that's great

letus wait till december 2023 to get more clarity on AIRCEL expiring spectrum, anyway airtel need replacement before feb2024.

It's time for Airtel to expand 4G as well as 5G coverage. They have sufficient spectrum for next three years for 300 million customers. Only if they expand coverage. They can easily reach 300-350ARPU within next two years if they expand coverage. Even more if Vi dies.

 

[Esmail]

Chart updated with validity details of BSNL spectrum in 700 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz newly alloted by DoT vide letter of allotment dated 16th November 2023.
Chart also shows the spectrum reserved for BSNL which is not yet allotted to it but is also not put up for sale in the auction since it will be allotted to BSNL in the future. This is shown in white instead of colour.