Indian phone carriers battle to survive with airwaves thrown open

New Delhi

THE Indian government will open the bidding Wednesday for airwaves already in use by the biggest carriers, including Bharti Airtel Ltd and Vodafone Group Plc. They'll have to compete to keep their licences in the auction against Mukesh Ambani, who is India's richest man and has signalled his determination by making the largest deposit of the competition.

India's approach, which is unlike what happens in the US, could mean seismic change for the world's second-largest smartphone market. The airwaves up for auction serve more than 300 million customers and account for almost half of the US$19 billion in combined revenue for the four largest operators.