TRAI seeks stakeholders' views on assigning E-band, V-band spectrum via auctions
discussion paper, seeking stakeholder views on whether E-band (71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz) and V-band (57-64 GHz) spectrum should be assigned via auctions for mobility use and whether the valuation of these airwaves should be benchmarked to the price of 5G millimeter waves (read: 26 GHz band) discovered in the August 2022 sale.
In the paper, issued Wednesday, the regulator has also sought views on the overall scope of services/usage of E & V band spectrum resources as well as the charging mechanism if these are assigned via the administrative route.
Separately, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has also invited suggestions on whether any plans to assign E & V bands for space-based communications should be pushed back to a later date.
“…auction-determined prices of mmWave bands for 5G, across all 22 licensed service areas is available from the recently concluded 5G auction in August 2022…it can be explored whether these prices can be used as a basis for valuation of E and V bands,” Trai said in its discussion paper issued Wednesday.
Trai has also invited stakeholder views on the quantum of E & V band spectrum needed to meet the needs of telcos for access or `mobility use’.
It also wants to know if some of these airwaves are required by telecom firms not directly involved in access services as well as non-telcos for non-commercial/captive use.
Deadlines for comments and counter-comments are October 25 and November 8 respectively.
A slugfest has been going on between telecom and technology firms regarding the allocation mechanism of E and V bands. While operators have been seeking auction of spectrum in both the bands, Broadband India Forum (BIF), which counts Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Cisco etc, as its
