COAI Expresses Disappointment Over Trai Recommendations On 5G Spectrum, Says Prices Too High

COAI said these recommendations by Trai are “one step backwards than forward” towards building a digitally connected India

New Delhi: Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) on Tuesday conveyed deep disappointment over the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai’s) recommendations on 5G, according to a report by the PTI.

The industry body has also termed the spectrum pricing suggested by the regulator as “too high”.

In a statement COAI said, given the recent reforms for telecom sector announced by the government, these recommendations are “one step backwards than forward” towards building a digitally connected India.

COAI is an apex industry body and its members include Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea. The spectrum pricing recommended by the Trai is too high, it said.

“Throughout the consultation process, industry had presented extensive arguments based on global research and benchmarks, for significant reduction in spectrum prices. Industry recommended 90 per cent lower price, and to see only about 35-40 per cent reduction recommended in prices, therefore is deeply disappointing,” the association said.

Trai on Monday recommended a 35 per cent cut in the reserve price for prime 5G spectrum frequencies in 3300-3670 MHz band at Rs 317 crore per MHz.

On Monday, Trai said that all available spectrum in the existing bands of 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz and the new spectrum bands of 600 MHz, 3300-3670 MHz and 24.25-28.5 GHz, will be put to auction.

"To provide flexibility to the telecom service providers, block size of 10 MHz for 3300-3670 MHz band and 50 MHz for 24.25-28.5 GHz band recommended. Spectrum to be assigned in a contiguous manner," Trai said in a statement.

In all, the reserve price across various bands works out to be nearly 39 per cent lower than that suggested last time, sources said.