Vodafone India announced that it will pay INR258.1 billion ($4.12 billion) to acquire a total of 78.4MHz of spectrum in 12 regions, or “circles”.

India’s spectrum auction, which closed earlier this week after three weeks of bidding, will bring in a record INR1.1 trillion ($17.6 billion) for the government.

Vodafone India, the country’s second largest mobile operator with a 19 per cent market share, said it has it acquired 900MHz spectrum in the six regions where its licences expire in December.

The operator said it also purchased 5MHz of 900MHz band spectrum in Orissa and added 30MHz of spectrum in the 2.1GHz band in six new circles. It bought an additional 5.6MHz of 1.8GHz spectrum in three circles, complementing the 49MHz of spectrum it acquired in that band a year ago.

The company will be able to expand its 3G service from nine regions to 16 regions.

Meanwhile, market leader Bharti Airtel has bid a total of INR291 billion for spectrum in 23 regions. It has acquired 900MHz airwaves in 10 service areas, 1.8GHz spectrum in six regions and 3G frequencies in seven circles, the Economic Times reported.

Idea Cellular was able to hold on to the 900MHz band in the nine regions where its licences are expiring and also made successful bids in seven other service areas.

Reliance Communications (RCom) successfully bid to acquire spectrum in 18 regions, but was only able to hold on to the 900MHz band in just two of the seven circles where its licences will expire. The operator acquired 800MHz airwaves in 11 service areas and 1.8GHz spectrum in five regions.