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The information and broadcasting ministry has agreed to vacate spectrum in the 700-MHz band, which the department of telecommunications plans to auction to telecom players for providing wireless broadband services, or 4G.

"The issue of spectrum in the 700-MHz band has been resolved," communications minister Kapil Sibal [ Images ] said on Monday after a meeting of empowered group of ministers headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee [ Images ] on spectrum vacation.

"By and large, all the issues related to vacation of spectrum have been resolved. The EGoM will meet again next week."

He said the issue over the release of spectrum in the 1700-2000 MHz, which has to be vacated by the defence forces, will also be resolved soon.

The ministry wanted to use spectrum in the 700-MHz band for mobile TV services.

However, the National Frequency Allocation Plan has earmarked the band for wireless broadband, in line with international standards.

The DoT has already started the process of next round of spectrum auction in broadband wireless space.

Sibal had recently said in Barcelona [ Images ] that the government would auction spectrum in broadband wireless association by this year-end.

The first round of auction was done in June 2010, where government had auctioned two slots of BWA spectrum, which had fetched Rs 38,000 crore (Rs 380 billion).

Reliance Industries [ Get Quote ], through Infotel Broadband, was the only player to have taken a pan-India licence.

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I & B ministry to vacate spectrum in 700-Mhz band