India 3G Spectrum Bids Reach $1.3 Billion

Bids for an all-India license to offer 3G services reached 56.2 billion rupees ($1.3 billion) on the seventh day of  auction, according to a statement on the department of telecommunications W

Bids for an all-India license to offer 3G services reached 56.2 billion rupees ($1.3 billion) on the seventh day of  auction, according to a statement on the department of telecommunications Web site. This amount is approximately 63% higher than the total Rs.35 billion, that was estimated to be gathered before the commencement of the auction.

On day seven of the 3G spectrum auction, 6 more rounds were completed making the total number of rounds to 40. 

Nine mobile-phone carriers including Vodafone Group Plc, the world’s largest, and Bharti Airtel Ltd., India’s biggest, are vying for the spectrum to offer third-generation services in the world’s second-largest wireless market by subscribers.

The government is auctioning spectrum for operating 3G services in India’s 22 designated telephone zones. It plans to sell 93 licenses to provide high-speed data to mobile phones and computers that may raise an estimated 500 billion rupees, helping reduce the nation’s fiscal deficit.

The Internet-based auction could take as long as two weeks. Information by circle as of today is given below (source: The Hindu)

For detailed auction reports see links from DoT website below

Sl. No. Auction Updates Dated
7 3G Auction Update: 17th April, 2010 17.04.2010
6 3G Auction Update: 16th April, 2010 16.04.2010
5

3G Auction Update: 15th April, 2010

15.04.2010
4 3G Auction Update: 13th April 2010 13.04.2010
3  3G Auction Update: 12th April 2010 12.04.2010
2  3G Auction Update: 10th April 2010 10.04.2010
1  3G Auction Update: 9th April, 2010 09.04.2010