No fixed timetable for 3G auction, says minister
20 Nov 2009
There is no fixed timetable for the allocation of 3G spectrum, which will be made through auction, minister of state for communications and information technology Gurudas Kamat informed the Rajya while clarifying to question.
He said a controlled, simultaneously ascending e-auction will be conducted as per the 3G spectrum guidelines issued on 1 August 2008 and the amendments thereto on 11 September 2008.
An empowered group of ministers (eGoM), at its meeting on 27 August this year, has decided among other things the number of blocks of 3G spectrum to be auctioned and its reserve price.
The auctions will be carried out in four stages - the invitation stage, the pre-qualification stage, the auction stage and the grant stage. There is no pre-set timetable and the government said it reserved the right to determine the overall timetable of the auctions or to amend it from time to time.
However, according to an indicative timetable, the deadline for submission of questions for pre-bid conference is 13 November while the final date for applications is 21 December.
A 'mock auction' will be held on 11-12 January 2010. The start of the 800 MHz and BWA auctions will be two days from the day of closure of the 3G auction.
Any change in the auction timelines will be communicated to bidders through the auctions website. Participants are requested to monitor the auctions website actively, the minister said.