BSNL keen on buying one slot of 700 Mhz spectrum

In order to strengthen coverage, state-run telecom operator BSNL is interested in buying 5 MHz spectrum in premium 700 MHz band in at least six service areas.

BSNL though will not be participating in the auction. Instead, it will ask the government to keep one slot reserved for it, and will pay the market determined price for the circles after the auction concludes.

“We will be discussing with the government that one slot of 700 MHz, we will take on the basis of auction determined price,” BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava said during the Mobile World Congress here.

Earlier also, BSNL was allocated 3G spectrum in 2100 Mhz and the telco later paid the auction determined price to the government.

He said initially, BSNL will focus on six telecom service areas, where it did not have spectrum in 2500 MHz band.

“Initially, we will focus on six circles –- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kolkata and Tamil Nadu. In the remaining circles, we have spectrum in 2500 MHz band,” Shrivastava said.

He further said the matter has been discussed internally and soon it will write to government to reserve one slot for it.