India 3G bids up 139.4% from base on 14th auction day

Bids for a nationwide third-generation (3G) mobile spectrum licences in India rose 139.4% above the base price to Rs83.8 billion ($1.9 billion) on the fourteenth day of an auction, government data showed on Monday.                                           

Eighty-two rounds of bidding had been completed by Monday, the Department of Telecommunications said on its website.                

Nine mobile operators, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications and Vodafone's Indian unit, are participating in the auction.                                           

The auction, which began on April 9, may take about two weeks to complete, government officials have said.