All six 2G bidders qualify; Idea makes biggest deposit

All six major mobile companies that had submitted applications for 2G spectrum recently - Airtel, Idea Cellular, Vodafone, Videocon Telecommunications, Telewings Communications, and Tata Teleservices – have qualified to take part in the upcoming airwaves auction, the Department of Telecommunications announced today.

Idea Cellular, the Aditya Birla group company, has emerged as the most aggressive bidder in the auction that is to take place on 12 November. Idea has deposited Rs1,306.75 crore, the highest earnest money among all the potential bidders, enabling it to bid for airwaves in all the 22 circles.

Telecom companies have to deposit a certain percentage of the reserve price, based on the quantum of airwaves they intend to bid for, as earnest money.

Of the others, Airtel has deposited Rs102.75 crore, Vodafone Rs229 crore, Videocon Rs648 crore and Telewings (Telenor's new avatar) Rs1,096 crore for the 1800 Mhz (GSM) band.

For 800 MHz band (CDMA), Tata Teleservices and Videocon have deposited over Rs22.5 crore and Rs220 crore respectively, the DoT website shows.

Vodafone submitted applications for 17 circles in 1800 MHz band, while Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Norway's Telenor bid in 5, 7 and 13 circles respectively. Videocon has bid for 15 GSM and around 10 CDMA circles, while Tata Teleservices has bid for the three circles it had lost its CDMA permits.