Telenor gets unified licences for all six circles

Uninor services will continue seamlessly under Uninor brand name

Norway-based telecom giant Telenor, which operates under the Uninor brand in India, has received the new Unified Licences for all six circles where it operates at present. 
 

Telenor has bought fresh spectrum in the six circles — UP East, UP West, Bihar and Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat through auction in November 2012 through its newly formed Indian entity Telewings Communications.

Earlier, Unitech Wireless, in which Telenor had a stake, has lost all its operating permits due to the Supreme Court order that quashed 122 licences for alleged irregularities in allocation.

 

“We can confirm that the new Unified Licenses have been received. This is license and spectrum for 20 years in the six circles. Uninor services are now continuing seamlessly in the new company in these six circles,” said a company spokesperson.

 

However, the company did not give details on the the proposed business transfer from Unitech Wireless to Telewings Communications. “Having received due approvals, the Uninor business is now running in the new company Telewings that has license and spectrum for 20 years in the six circles,” said the spokesperson, adding that the company continue with the Uninor brand name.

 

Meanwhile, communications and IT minister kapil Sibal had, in May this year, given a go-ahead to Telenor for transferring its assets from Unitech Wireless to Telewings. DoT has, however, sought legal opinion from the Law Ministry on the proposed asset transfer from Unitech Wireless to Telewings.

 

Telenor entered India through a joint venture with real estate giant Unitech Group where the Norweigian telco had 67.25% stake, in 2009. But, the two firms part ways after Unitech managing director came under scrutiny by the CBI in the 2G scam. 

 

Telenor had then bought back Unitech’s stake in the JV and has formed a new JV — Telewings Communications — in which Mumbai-based Lakshdeep Investments & Finance holds a 26% stake.

 

First,  DoT had approached the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) to examine the transfer for compliance with the Companies Act, But, MCA had declined the request noting that the matter was outside its ambit to vet documents from a legal standpoint.

 

Last year, DoT, in an affidavit on the status of participation in the auctions, stated that Unitech’s business is in process of transfer to Telewings.