India’s Department of Telecom (DoT) has pushed back spectrum auctions by a week to give it more time to respond to questions raised during a pre-bid meeting held two weeks ago.

The cabinet has not yet approved the 3G pricing recommended by a DoT commission (which was sent a week ago), but the Economic Times said a decision was expected soon.

The auction was scheduled for 25 February and will now include 2G and 3G spectrum in the 800MHz, 900MHz, 1.8GHz and 2.1GHz bands.

The auctions will now be held on 4 March and the deadline for submitting bids is 16 February. Bidding companies have until 2 February to make inquiries, and the list of bidders will now be announced on 27 February, the Times said.

The DoT has ignored complaints about the high base price and scarcity of 3G spectrum to be auctioned and has pushed ahead with reserve price 36 per cent higher than the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s recommendation in late December.