Telecom giants including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea made significant bids totaling Rs 11,164 crore on the first day of the spectrum auction. The auction, which began with airwaves worth Rs 96,000 crore up for sale, saw only 131 MHz of the total 10,523 MHz spectrum being sold, accounting for 1.2% of the available spectrum. The bidding process on the first day comprised five rounds.
Demand was notably high in various frequency bands across different regions. The 1800 MHz band saw substantial interest in West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh (East). Similarly, the 900 MHz band attracted bids in Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (East), and West Bengal, while the 2100 MHz band witnessed active bidding in Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, and the north-eastern regions. As a result, the auction is expected to continue for several more days to meet the spectrum demand.
The proceeds from the first day exceeded the government's internal estimate of Rs 10,000 crore but were closer to the lower band estimate of around Rs 14,000 crore projected by analysts.
Key highlights of the bidding included Rs 7,004 crore in the 900 MHz band, Rs 3,614 crore in the 1800 MHz band, and Rs 546 crore in the 2100 MHz band. The highest demand was observed in the 900 MHz band, where 60.4 MHz of spectrum was sold, followed by the 1800 MHz band with 50.6 MHz sold, and the 2100 MHz band with 20 MHz sold.
Most of the spectrum was sold at reserve prices, except in specific circles like Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh (East) in the 1800 MHz band, where bids exceeded the reserve price. Similarly, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (East), and West Bengal saw prices above reserve in the 900 MHz band, while Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, and the North East witnessed higher bids in the 2100 MHz band.
Uttar Pradesh (East) and Bihar emerged as hotspots for demand in the 900 MHz band, while Bihar, West Bengal, and Kolkata showed strong bidding activity in the 1800 MHz band. In the 2100 MHz band, the UP West circle attracted significant interest from telecom companies.
Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea were notable participants in the auction, with Bharti Airtel renewing spectrum in six circles for Rs 3,800 crore at reserve prices, while Vodafone Idea focused on renewing spectrum in the 900 MHz band across two circles.
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