The big day for the 5G Spectrum Auction is almost here. Spectrum acquisition in new bands, toppings in existing bands and circles depend on the subscriber base, spectrum coming to expiry in the near term, demand and future planning. Here’s a circle-wise overview of total spectrum holdings of Airtel, Jio and Vodafone Idea with wireless subscriber numbers of May 2022 as per TRAI data.
Telco with Highest and Lowest Spectrum Holdings across Circles:
Overall, Vodafone Idea (Vi) holds the highest quantum of spectrum in the Maharashtra & Goa circle with 122.8 MHz. The telco also holds the lowest quantum of spectrum in Himachal Pradesh with 42.4 MHz which is a Category ‘C’ circle. Subscriber Base Numbers: In the Maharashtra & Goa circle, where Vodafone Idea holds the highest quantum of the spectrum, it stands in the second position with a wireless subscriber count of 28,021,176, and in Himachal Pradesh, with the least quantum of the spectrum, the telco stands in the third position with a wireless subscriber count of 547,019.
Airtel, Jio and Vodafone Idea Leadership Circles: Spectrum Holdings and Subscriber Base
Airtel: Airtel leads spectrum holdings in 14 circles, while it leads in wireless subscriber base only in 9 circles. Airtel doesn’t hold a leading position in either spectrum holdings or subscriber base in any metro. Although in Delhi, Airtel is very close to the numbers of the second position in subscriber base. Airtel holds the highest spectrum in Bihar with 118.4 MHz, while the least in Kolkata with 64 MHz. Reliance Jio: Jio leads spectrum holdings in just one circle, i.e. in Delhi with 80 MHz, while surprisingly, it is leading in wireless subscribers in 11 circles. Jio holds the leading position in two of the three metro circles, Delhi and Kolkata, in the wireless subscriber base. Jio holds the highest spectrum in West Bengal with 81.2 MHz, while the least quantum of spectrum held by Jio in a circle is 70 MHz, which is with multiple circles, as seen in the table. Vodafone Idea: Vodafone Idea leads spectrum holdings across seven circles, including two metros, Kolkata and Mumbai. The telco is leading only in two circles, i.e., in Kerala and Mumbai, in terms of wireless subscriber base. It is not always that more the spectrum, more the quality and more the subscribers. There are a lot of parameters that deal with consumer experience, quality and service, which turn Spectrum Holdings into Wireless Subscribers. The image is self-explanatory. In case of any data discrepancy, please report it. For detailed spectrum holdings and circle-wise details, refer to the Spectrum Sheet.
