"Seven rounds have been completed as of now with bidding in all the four bands," a source said.
The biggest ever spectrum auction of 2G and 3G airwaves began on Wednesday on a high note with operators making bids worth an estimated Rs 60,000 crore after six rounds of bidding in all the four bands.
The government is expecting about Rs 1 lakh crore from the auction. The value of spectrum put on sale is Rs 82,000 crore (Rs 820 billion) at the base price.
Asian brokerage firm CLSA in a report said that at the end of day one, the spectrum in 900 MHz is already 32 per cent above the reserve price and there was excess demand in 5 out of 17 circles.
"However, despite limited blocks on offer, 2100 MHz and 1800 MHz bands saw 1-2 per cent price increase with no bids in select key circles. 800 MHz saw limited interest with price increase in only 2 circles," it said.
CLSA added that, in a surprise, large data markets of Delhi, Mumbai, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh saw no price increase in 2100MHz band, despite only one block of available spectrum.
A total of 380.75 MHz of spectrum in three bands – the premium 900 MHz band, 1,800 MHz and 800 MHz -- has been put on sale besides 5 MHz in the 2,100 MHz band across 17 out of 22 telecom areas in the country.
Incumbent Bharti Airtel and Vodafone are locked in a battle with upstart carrier Reliance Jio of billionaire Mukesh Ambani to protect their spectrum they need to carry voice and data in the world's second-biggest smartphone market. A total of eight bidders are in fray for the spectrum.
The government had raked in Rs 62,162 crore from the last spectrum auction held in February 2014.