The Economics of Releasing the V-band and E-band Spectrum in India

The paper begins with a brief overview of the characteristics of the bands. After that, it presents a review of the approaches different countries have taken while releasing this spectrum, and a section on the present policy stance in India. This is followed by a section on policy thinking on unlicensed spectrum bands. After that, it delves into the economic aspects of this issue, beginning with an overview of studies on how internet has impacted the Indian economy, and studies from other countries on the economic benefits of unlicensed spectrum bands. This is followed by an analysis of the potential uses of the bands in India. The paper attempts to quantify the scale of these uses to the extent possible, based on benchmarking with global standards. In the penultimate section, it also attempts to map the economic benefits that can accrue from different uses of these bands. The note concludes with a few key insights.