Spectrum acquired through 2021 Auction can be used for 5G: Dhotre

The Minister of State for Communications Sanjay Dhotre today in the Lok Sabha said that reduced notice for offering any technology would offer flexibility to telecom service providers. Unlike earlier, telecom service providers can now offer any new technology base station site for testing while rolling out networks for compliance with roll-out obligations in reduced notice period of six months.

Dhotre further clarified that spectrum acquired through auction can be used to provide services using any technology including 5G. Notably, when telecom service providers had explicitly asked DoT about 5G deployment using spectrum acquired through the recent auction, DoT had answered vaguely by reducing the notice period and saying any new technology could be deployed using the spectrum acquired through recent auction.

“Reduced notice period for offering any new technology base station site for testing while rolling out networks for compliance of roll out obligations will provide more flexibility to telecom service providers (TSPs) for deploying new technologies. TSPs are free to deploy any technology using spectrum acquired through auctions/liberalized spectrum. The 5G services are to be introduced gradually and will advance to full range of services as ecosystem and demand for services grow,” said Sanjay Dhotre in Lok Sabha.

DoT had in January amended its notice inviting applications (NIA) for Spectrum Auction 2021 allowing telecom service providers to deploy spectrum for new technology with only 6 months prior information. The NIA amendment allows TSPs to launch 5G services within 6 months of the notice period.

“In case of switching over to a different technology (other than GSM/WCDMA/LTE/CDMA), while rolling out the networks for compliance of roll out obligations, information regarding the new technology to be given, before any new technology Base Station site is offered for testing, is reduced to six months from one year, read DoT’s NIA amendment.