3G and BWA Auctions Timeline

With the EGoM deciding on the base reserve price for 3G and BWA spectrum, India is all set to see some action on the auction front. The DoT has announced timelines for the entire process. The key dates are as follows:

Pre-qualification of Bidders 27-Nov-09

Mock Auction 03-Dec-09 to 04-Dec-09

Start of the 3G-WCDMA Auction 07-Dec-09

The EVDO and BWA spectrum auctions will start 2 days after the close of the 3G auction.

If the DoT sticks to this schedule, then the auction process will be completed before the end of this year. Actual rollout of services will take at least another 6 months.

The state-owned companies, BSNL and MTNL already have 3G and BWA spectrum and have been offering services for the past few months. They have not met with much success in acquiring a significant customer base, despite having the first-mover advantage. It is widely believed that the entry of private operators will really kick-start the rollout of 3G and BWA services across the country.

It is interesting to note that the BWA spectrum is mostly unpaired which means that only TDD technologies can be deployed. This will favor WiMAX in the short-run, at least.