Govt expects Rs 48,661.42 crore from telecom sector in FY19

New Delhi: The government expects around 58 per cent increase in revenue at Rs 48,661.42 crore from the stressed telecom sector in 2018-19 against the revised revenue estimate of Rs 30,736.47 crore for the current fiscal, according to the budget documents.

The government earns revenue in the form of mainly licence fees and spectrum usage charges from telecom operators. The government had made a provision of Rs 44,342.2 crore revenue from telecom services in 2017-18.

Spectrum sales through auction has been main contributor to the government revenue.

However, no auction was conducted in the current fiscal and the debt ridden telecom players have said that they need some more time to absorb investments made in last auctions.

The Department of Telecom has sought views of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on price of spectrum for mobile services and timings for the auction. The spectrum auction in 2018-19 will depend on the recommendations of Trai.