HIGHLIGHTS
Adani Group Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea are the other three applicants.
Recently, Adani established a subsidiary.
Sources claim that Sunil Bharti Mittal's Airtel and Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio would be directly competing with billionaire Gautam Adani's business when it makes a sudden foray into the race for telecom spectrum.
At least four applications were submitted before the deadline on Friday to participate in the July 26 airwave auction, which will include those capable of delivering fifth-generation or 5G telecom services including ultra-high-speed internet connectivity.
The three private telecom operators Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea submitted applications, according to three persons with knowledge of the situation.
According to one of the sources, Adani Group is the fourth applicant and that company just recently received its National Long Distance (NLD) and International Long Distance (ILD) licences.
However, this could not be verified independently. Contact with the Adani Group by email and phone went unanswered.
The ownership information for applicants is to be revealed on July 12 in accordance with the auction timelines, and at that time the bids should be known.
The auction, which is scheduled to start on July 26, 2022, would feature a total of 72,097.85 MHz of spectrum valued at at least Rs. 4.3 lakh crore.
Spectrum in a number of low (600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, and 2300 MHz), mid (3300 MHz), and high (26 GHz) frequency bands will be up for auction.
Ambani and Adani, who both come from Gujarat and went on to build massive corporate conglomerates, had avoided one another up until lately. While the former diversified from the ports sector to coal, energy distribution, and aviation, the latter did so from the oil and petrochemicals business into telecom and retail.
But when their interests collide more frequently, some believe a conflict is inevitable.
A subsidiary for a push into petrochemicals, a business that Ambani's father Dhirubhai started before its downstream and upstream operations, has been established by Adani in recent months.
Giga plants for solar panels, batteries, green hydrogen, and fuel cells are among Ambani's multibillion-dollar ideas for the new energy industry. Adani, who had earlier declared goals to become the greatest generator of renewable energy in the world by 2030, has also revealed goals for hydrogen.
Additionally, the Adani company would face Ambani for the first time in a direct rivalry if it took part in the 5G auction on July 26.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's recommended reserve prices for 5G auctions were approved by the Cabinet last month (TRAI).
