Vi, Adani data networks may not get exemptions over 5G rollout

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Vodafone Idea (Vi) and Adani Data Networks are unlikely to be given any extension or exemption from meeting the minimum rollout obligations related to 5G airwaves in the mid band (3300-3600 MHz) and 26 GHz bands and may need to pay financial penalties for the circles that they don't meet the milestones. As per officials, the two firms had sought relaxations for meeting 5G minimum roll out norms.

But the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) believes that the conditions for rollout were specified in the notice inviting application (NIA) and everyone needs to comply with that. Airwaves for 5G services were allotted to the auction winners-Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and an Adani Enterprises unit-by the middle of August 2022 and roll out deadlines need to be met by the end of the first year of allotment.

«The time period for roll out of the network as per the roll out obligations… shall be deemed as the essence of the contract and the network must be rolled out not later than such specified time period(s).No extension in prescribed due date will be granted,» the NIA for the 5G spectrum auction said. However, the DoT is also checking if there was any precedence of granting any such extension/exemption since auctions began.

But as per industry executives, no such extension has ever been given by the DoT. For instance, even Reliance Jio had to comply with the obligations in 2015, much before the commercial launch of 4G services in 2016.