Adani mulls surrender of 5G spectrum after more than 2 years of purchase

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Adani Data Networks, a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises, which bought 5G spectrum in the 26 GHz band in the 2022 auctions, is mulling surrendering the airwaves after more than two years of not putting them to use, said four people aware of the development. The company has not formally communicated its intent to surrender the airwaves but neither has it shared details of whether or how it intends to use the airwaves, according to two senior government officials.

“We’re yet to get any details from them on what they plan to do with the spectrum. There have been some mentions of returning the airwaves but nothing has been communicated formally," one of the officials said, asking not to be named as the discussions were not in public domain. Adani Data Networks had said the spectrum would be used for its own private network.

One of the officials said that it was continuing to pay penalties for not meeting minimum rollout obligations. “The penalties involved are only performance-based hence they’re not heavy," another official said on condition of anonymity. Queries to Adani Enterprises did not elicit a response as of Wednesday evening.

Telcos have to launch 5G services anywhere in the licensed service area in metro areas and at least one city or town in a non-metro area, in the first year of spectrum acquisition for airwaves in the 3.3-3.5GHz band, according to the conditions specified in the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA), the legal document that lays down the terms and conditions of the auctions. For the spectrum in 26GHz band, the telco can launch commercial services anywhere in the service area within a year, as per the minimum rollout obligation. Penalties of ₹1 lakh per week for the