3G Auction – 5 Players per Circle, Auction by Feb 9
DoT has now announced limiting the number of players in a 3G circle to 5. And now that govt. has already allotted license to BSNL and MTNL, private operators only have 4 slots to bid for (depending on the circle).
Delhi and Gujarat will have three 3G operators each, Uttar Pradesh (west) and Himachal Pradesh four, and West Bengal two. Rajasthan and the north-east would not have 3G services because spectrum is not available in these regions. – source
3G Auction, earlier slated for Jan 15th has now been pushed to Feb 9th.
BSNL and MTNL are enjoying the early benefits – BSNL is launching it’s 3G service in Chennai by Jan 2009 and MTNL is planning Delhi foray by Dec 2008.
About the author - Ashish Sinha is a Startup Mentor/Product Strategy Coach, and the founder/chief editor of pluGGd.in.
He has launched/managed couple of products (consumer as well as enterprise) in US and India, and now consults with startups/small businesses on their product/media strategy. He can be reached at: ashish (at) pluGGd.in [+91 98452 06443]
“Rajasthan and the north-east would not have 3G services because spectrum is not available in these regions.”
What they mean by this?
If spectrum is not available, are they doing something to make it available? Or there will be no possibility of 3G services in near future in these regions?
One reason for the excuse can be that user base is very scattered and pumping money is not worth of returns.
Can you highlight something more?
[...] BSNL too is launching it’s 3G service in Chennai (by Jan 2009) , but private players will have to wait till Feb 9 for 3G auction. [...]