| 3G spectrum winners can use it only after June | 21-NOV-09 |
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| The ambiguity over availability of 3G (third generation) telecom spectrum would end soon, as the ministry of defence has agreed to release 25 MHz of 3G spectrum before December 8, paving the way for auctioning of all the four slots in every circle simultaneously. But, the successful bidders in the auction would be able to utilise the spectrum only after June 2010, despite the auction process happening on schedule in January. |
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| Not me, sir | 20-NOV-09 |
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| Communications Minister A Raja has learnt it’s better to be safe than sorry. After the EGoM meeting on the 3G spectrum auction, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was surrounded by journalists. He refused to make any comment and then turned towards Raja and said, “Nobody should talk to the press about this meeting.” Even before Mukherjee could finish, Raja waved his hands and said, “Sir, I am not saying anything. I am not saying anything.” A few days ago, Mukherjee had summoned Raja and told him not to talk to the press about the 3G issue and to ensure that no inter-ministerial communication related to the 3G auction was leaked from his office — letters from Mukherjee to Raja and vice versa have all been leaked to the press in recent weeks. |
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| EGoM meet tomorrow to review 3G spectrum vacation | 18-NOV-09 |
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| An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) will meet tomorrow to review progress on auction of 3G mobile licences, amid sharp differences between the telecom and defence ministries over release of spectrum (airwaves) for commercial use. |
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| 'Do we need a new spectrum policy?' | 18-NOV-09 |
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| Telecom spectrum and licensing reform are key to India’s economic future. A recent research carried out by Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (Icrier) shows a 10 per cent increase in mobile penetration raises GDP growth by 1.2 percentage points. The spectrum and licensing policy will determine whether the industry can deliver a long-term growth or will die a “death by a thousand cuts” — uncertainty and fragmentation may cause higher costs which, in the end, must be passed on to consumers. The long-term future of the industry is at stake. There is no room for complacency, or giving way to vested interests. |
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| AT&T, Intel join telcos in pre-bid meet for 3G spectrum auction | 17-NOV-09 |
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| US telecom major AT&T and the world’s largest chip maker, Intel, were among the foreign players that showed interest today in the pre-bid conference for third generation (3G) spectrum, which kick-started the process for the 3G auction in the country. |
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| Foreign cos abstain from 3G meet; telcos seek clarity | 16-NOV-09 |
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| Foreign telecom companies today stayed away from a meeting to discuss the blueprint for 3G (third generation) mobile spectrum auction, while domestic players were riddled with doubts regarding regulation and availability of airwaves. |
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| Sunil Jain: Solving spectrum scarcity | 16-NOV-09 |
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| Going by the nature of the questions being asked to Attorney General GE Vahanvati in the government’s appeal in the S Tel case in the Delhi High Court, the government is in for a tough time. The S Tel judgment last July says telecom minister A Raja’s September 25, 2007 cutoff date decision is illegal and that all the 46 firms that applied for licences have to be considered instead of just the nine Raja favoured. Given the government doesn’t have the spectrum to give the licences, there is an obvious urgency over the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai’s) consultation on the matter since, if Trai caps the number of telecom operators, the government can present the court with a fait accompli. |
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| No leaks please | 15-NOV-09 |
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| Telecom Minister A Raja has been served a “gag order” against the backdrop of the 2G spectrum controversy. According to top sources in the UPA government, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee recently summoned Raja and told him not to speak to the press about the 3G auction. He has also been strongly advised to ensure that intra-ministerial communications and letters don’t reach the press through his office. Recently, Raja’s letter to Mukherjee, seeking his intervention for getting the defence ministry to vacate 3G spectrum, was leaked to the press. Mukherjee was extremely upset at this. |
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| No headway in 3G spectrum logjam | 13-NOV-09 |
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| The stalled process of 3G spectrum allocation showed little signs of recovery even after a meeting between Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), defence and finance ministry officials. |
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| DoT, defence scrap over 3G spectrum | 12-NOV-09 |
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| The inter-ministerial battle over spectrum for 3G telecom services has intensified, with the department of telecommunications (DoT) rejecting a claim by the ministry of defence (MoD) that it has not accounted for 10 MHz of spectrum given to DoT at the end of October in the information memorandum (IM). |
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| Shyam Ponappa: Managing spectrum | 05-NOV-09 |
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| In communications services, the high demand for spectrum compared with limited supply is well established. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) estimates demand in five years at 580 MHz, with current assignment to commercial operators at about 160 MHz. In this limited amount, fragmented spectrum holdings reduce efficiency, and broadband growth and availability have been abysmal. |
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| Raja to meet CEOs of telecom operators today | 03-NOV-09 |
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| Telecom Minister A Raja is meeting the CEOs of telecom companies today, to discuss issues relating to improving rural tele-density and lowering of tariffs further among others. |
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| Raja takes on BJP over spectrum distribution | 30-OCT-09 |
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| Facing allegations of irregularities in spectrum allotment, Telecom Minister A Raja today hit out at the BJP saying free distribution of radio frequency among operators during the NDA regime may have cost the country over Rs 1.6 lakh crore. |
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