Airtel becomes latest telco to make upfront payment for spectrum to DoT

Bharti Airtel has become the latest telecom operator to make upfront payment to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for the purchase made in the recently concluded spectrum auctions.

According to an Economic Times report, Airtel has paid a sum of Rs 6,323.98 crore to the DoT, and Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJio) and Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) have made upfront payments of Rs 15,019.84 crore and Rs 574.65 crore, respectively.

The 4G spectrum auction that ended on March 2, was among the shortest spectrum auctions since 2013. The government sold airwaves worth Rs 77,814.80 crore in the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, and 2300 MHz bands, but the 700 MHz airwaves remained unsold yet again.

RJio picked up most spectrum at a total of Rs 57,122.65 crore. It bought 488.35 MHz in the 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2300 MHz category across 22 cities.