NEW DELHI: About 1,538 MHz of spectrum in various bands for telecom services may be made available for auction next year, a move that will help the government expand mobile and broadband penetration in the country.

In the premium 700 Mhz band, which can be used for 4G and is even being considered for 5G services, 93 MHz of radiowaves can be put for sale. In the 800 MHz (CMDA), 900 MHz and 1,800 MHz bands 117.5 MHz, 184 MHz and 104 MHz, respectively, can be made available, sources said.

In 2,300 MHz band (broadband wireless access spectrum) 320 MHz spectrum and in the 2,500 MHz band, about 720 MHz could also be put on the block for sale, they added.

Besides, the government expects to make available a fresh set of 300 MHz spectrum for mobile services by 2017 and an additional 200 MHz by 2020.

Sources said that almost all of the spectrum in 800 MHz, 900 MHz and 1,800 MHz will be available through the expiry of licences as well as that unsold in the last conducted auction.

For 700 MHz band, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had recommended that the reserve price for the spectrum should be four times of that of the 1,800 MHz band.

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