The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in India reported a 42% decrease in Spectrum Usage Charge (SUC) collections for the fiscal third quarter of 2023, which fell to INR811 crore ($107 million), compared to INR1,405 crore ($186 million) in the preceding quarter. This occurred after the government ceased charging the statutory fee on airwaves acquired from last year’s 5G auctions onwards. On the other hand, license fee collections rose 2.24% on-quarter to INR5,031 crore ($667 million) during the October-December 2022 period. Telcos in India pay both license fees and SUC to the government using a percentage of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR), which grew 1.49% sequentially in Q3 2022. Trai data showed that Bharti Airtel recorded the fastest sequential growth in AGR during the quarter, outpacing market leader Reliance Jio while Vodafone Idea reported a fall.
Bharti Airtel is India’s second-largest integrated telecommunications company, with operations in 18 countries across Asia and Africa. The company offers broadband, mobile, and fixed-line services, including voice and high-speed data connections. Bharti Airtel is a multinational conglomerate and is headquartered in New Delhi, India.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is an independent regulator of the telecommunications industry in India that regulates broadband, cable television, and broadcasting services, among other things. The regulator is responsible for ensuring a level playing field for mobile network operators in India and promoting competition within the industry. Trai is also responsible for implementing policies to ensure adequate competition between the players in the sector, as well as resolving disputes between network operators and customers.
