Union Budget 2022-23: Telecom firms spar over 5G auction quantum

Airtel wants only interference-free spectrum to be put up for auction

The much-awaited 5G auction announced by finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman in her Budget speech this year faces yet another hurdle. 

Telecom operators are once again sparring with each other over how much of the spectrum identified for 5G by the government should be up for bidding.

One one side there is Airtel, which has written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), asking for a substantial trimming of the amount of 5G spectrum which will be on offer in the 3.5 GHz band —  from 370 Mhz to only 240 Mhz —  on the grounds that only spectrum which is free