The Department of Telecommunications plans to start auction of 2G spectrum by December 20 and allocate spectrum to players in March next year.

"We will need time at least till December 20 to start auction of spectrum. There are various processes before it and will have to stick to strict deadline to meet this date," a senior Telecom Ministry official told PTI.

The official added that to start the process, DoT will have to first get recommendation from Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and it should be in place by May 17.

"We arrived at December 20 deadline after making strict timeline for all process required before auction. This target can be acheived if we get recommendations from Trai by May 17.

Then DoT will have to review it and approval from Empowered Group of Minister will be required," the official said.

He said that after receiving Trai recommendation government will have one month time to take decision on the auction as per Supreme Court verdict.

After the decision by the central government, DoT will need aorund two week time to issue guidelines on the auction and make changes in it, if required, the official said.

"If all these deadlines are met we will start shortlisting auctioneer by end of June. Based on our calculations, we should be able to come up with 'Notice Inviting Application' by third week of September. Then after, a month will be required to finalise it. This should be done by third week of October," the official said.

He said that DoT estimates that auction will end over period of 40 days against 63 days that it took during auction of 3G spectrum.

"We should be able to assign spectrum to winners of bid with one month of receipt of payment from them. As per our calcuations, it should March 8 only if deadlines are met and everything proceeds as per our assumptions," official added.

On the other hand, Trai has issued consultation paper for auction of spectrum that has invited views of public interested in the process. The Regulator has kept deadline of March 21 for written comments and March 28 for counter- comments on this consultation paper.