India, Feb. 27 -- India's telecom sector is preparing for its next spectrum auction, with airwaves worth an estimated Rs 2.1 lakh crore expected to be offered. The Government of India (GoI) is likely to put the entire available 11,970 MHz of spectrum up for bidding, marking one of the largest offerings in recent years.

Notably, the base price of the spectrum is around 19 per cent lower than in the previous auction. Telecom operators have long argued that high reserve prices constrain investment and strain balance sheets. The reduction is therefore expected to be welcomed by the industry, particularly at a time when operators are still working to monetise their 5G networks.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended...