NEW DELHI: India will begin a long-delayed auction of third-generation (3G) radio spectrum on Jan. 14, 2010, the telecoms ministry said on Saturday.

Firms have to submit bids by Dec. 21 for a total of 71 blocks of spectrum put up for auction across 20 of India's 22 telecoms zones, according to a memorandum to prospective bidders.

The document is available at www.dot.gov.in/as/Auction%20of%20Spectrum%20for3G%20&%20B WA/3g.pdf The auction, which would introduce high-speed Internet and video downloads on mobile phones, was originally slated for January 2009 but was deferred to December after differences between the telecoms and finance ministries over the reserve price for the bids.

The government did not give a reason for the second extension.

The base price for 3G spectrum across the country is 35 billion rupees ($750 million), and Telecoms Minister Andimuthu Raja has said the government would net at least 250 billion rupees from the sale.

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