TRAI Recommends Auctioning Full Spectrum Range with Lower Entry Barriers and Insolvency Reclaims

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended auctioning all available spectrum across nine frequency bands from 600 MHz to 26 GHz, deferring the 6 GHz band auction pending global clarity. It proposed lowering net-worth requirements for new entrants to encourage competition and suggested a uniform 35% spectrum cap per operator. TRAI urged the Department of Telecommunications to reclaim spectrum held by companies undergoing insolvency and include it in the upcoming FY27 auction, also proposing incentives for deploying base stations in coverage gaps.