SSTL opposes Trai proposal to bar it from buying CDMA spectrum

In response to issues raised in a consultation paper on the reserve price for auction of spectrum in the band to the Trai

Russian conglomerate Sistema-backed Sistema Shyam Teleservices (SSTL), which operates under the MTS brand, said on Wednesday there should not be any restriction on it from buying 800-MHz spectrum, including in the eight circles where it had bought airwaves in March 2013 auction.

In response to issues raised in a consultation paper on the reserve price for auction of spectrum in the band to the Telecom regulatory Authority of India (Trai), SSTL has asked for a cut in the reserve price to revive interest in the CDMA band that got just one bidder (SSTL) in the March auction. “Any attempt to increase reserve price would again see no participants in 800 MHz band.”