CDMA spectrum auction: SSTL bids for 8 circles

Lone bidder Sistema Shyam Teleservices on Monday bid for eight circles in the 2G spectrum auction for CDMA services.

The second round of auction is underway and it is expected that it will end by the third round, which could be the shortest online sale of radiowaves in terms of time consumed.

The auction for 2G spectrum for GSM players held in November last yeat was spread across three days fetching the government Rs 9,407 crore (Rs 94.07 billion).

In 2010, spectrum auction for 3G services ended after 34 days and 183

rounds of bidding.

This was followed by 16-day long auction for wireless broadband spectrum.

SSTL has deposited Rs 613.75 crore (Rs 6.13 billion) for the auction, according to information disclosed by DoT.

This makes the company eligible to bid for minimum quantum of 2.5 Megahertz spectrum (two blocks of 1.25 Mhz airwaves frequency) in 11 circles.

The company has already announced discontinuation of services in 10 out of 22 telecom circles -- Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, North East, Orissa and Punjab.