New Delhi, Feb. 24 -- India's telecom regulator has cleared the way for the next spectrum auction by putting airwaves worth over Rs.2 trillion on the block, while recommending steep cuts in reserve prices to improve participation from cash-strained operators. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has recommended up to a 20-30% reduction in reserve price for the spectrum compared to the previous auction in 2024.

More than 62% or about Rs.1.3 trillion worth spectrum is attributed to the 600MHz band, which went unsold in the previous spectrum auctions due to limited device support. The authority has reduced the reserve price for this band by 17% compared to the 2022 auction, and eased payment terms and rollout obligations, unders...