5G spectrum: The Ambani-Adani Faceoff
5G services have been of keen interest to people for much time now. India expected to get full-fledged 5G service by March 2023. India ranks around 125 in the global speed test conducted by Ookla, which is not great at all. The advent of 5G is expected to change it to our benefit. A significant development in the 5G mania that blew people’s minds recently was the entry of billionaire Gautam Adani into the race of spectrum. This faceoff has fascinated Indians for the most anticipated battle between Adani and Ambani.
The Spectrum Auction
The spectrum auction is the process through which the government sells rights to transmit signals over specific electromagnetic spectrum bands in the form of bidding. Auction provides spectrum resources to bidders from which a 5G network would be supplied throughout the country.
A total of 72,097.85 MHz spectrum worth at least Rs 4.3 lakh crore will be put on the block during the auction, set to commence on July 26, 2022. The auction will be held for spectrum in various low (600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz), mid (3300 MHz), and high (26 GHz) frequency bands.
Usual bidders and Adani’s surprise
While the registration for auction was being held, there were the usual bidders- Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone-Idea, three private telecom giants. However, then came the fourth entry that no one expected. Gautam Adani, the billionaire owner of Adani groups of industries, also registered for the spectrum race. This spiced up things.
The reason given by the Adani group for participating in an auction without being a telecom giant was worth understanding.
“As we build our own digital platform encompassing super apps, edge data centers, and industry command and control centers, we will need ultra-high quality data streaming capabilities through a high frequency and low latency 5G network across all our businesses,” they said.
Ambani vs Adani
Ambani and Adani, who came from Gujarat and went on to build mega business groups and eventually turn billionaires, have not had a direct face-off until now. While the former expanded from the oil and petrochemicals business into telecom and retail, the latter diversified from the ports segment to coal, energy distribution, and aviation. But increasingly, their interests overlap, setting what some say is the stage for a clash.
Ambani led the revolution in the IT sector through his Jio scheme bringing a high-speed 4G network to most of India, and will try his best to get the spectrum. On the other hand, Adani wants spectrum to take his companies to great heights through high-speed internet. Bharti Airtel will also not let themselves back in the race with Jio this time. This is turning the auction into a mouth-watering affair.
Conclusion
If 4G bought the unexpected internet revolution in India, 5G would take it to another level. The introduction of 5G will improve our network’s speed and latency at minimal costs. It will make our lives fast and more effortless. The auction will check the determination of these companies toward their vision. Whoever may win the auction will be India, whose win is guaranteed.
Shashank Trivedi is the writer of this article. Views expressed and information provided belong solely to the author.
