India DoT keeps backhaul spectrum pricing in June 17 draft rules

TL;DR: India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) published the draft Telecommunications (Administrative Allocation of Spectrum) Rules, 2026 on June 17 and retained the earlier backhaul spectrum pricing regime, rejecting the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) proposal to reduce charges.

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) published the draft Telecommunications (Administrative Allocation of Spectrum) Rules, 2026 on June 17 and retained the earlier backhaul spectrum pricing regime. The draft therefore rejects the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) recommendation to reduce backhaul spectrum pricing.

The June 17 draft restores the previous pricing approach for backhaul spectrum. According to the report, this means telecom operators in India will continue to face a significant cost burden for backhaul spectrum under the draft 2026 rules.

The report said it was not clear whether the draft rules were open for consultation or subject to further changes. The item did not specify any revised pricing figures, affected spectrum bands, or an implementation date beyond the draft’s publication on June 17.

Related questions

• What did India’s DoT decide on backhaul spectrum pricing in the June 17 draft rules?
• How did the June 17 draft rules differ from TRAI’s proposal on backhaul spectrum charges?
• What uncertainty remains around the draft Telecommunications (Administrative Allocation of Spectrum) Rules, 2026?