3G auction: Telecom regulator for 22 percent lower base price

New Delhi, Dec 31: The telecom regulator Wednesday recommended a base price of Rs.2,720 crore per mega hertz (MHz) for pan India 2,100 MHz or 3G spectrum, which is 22 percent lower than the previous auction. "Furthermore, the 15 MHz of spectrum in the 2,100 MHz spectrum being vacated by ministry of defence (MoD), in lieu of spectrum in the 1,900 MHz spectrum, should be auctioned in view of the in-principle agreement reached with the MoD, even if it is not available immediately," the Telecom regulatory Authority of India said in a statement here. This can be done as "actual assignments do not have to be made immediately", it said. The actual date of assignment may be given in the notice inviting application. The government in 2010 had auctioned 3G spectrum at pan-India reserve price of Rs.3,500 crore per MHz.