New telecom players allotted spectrum in four circles

The government today allotted start-up GSM spectrum to new telecom players, including Datacom and Unitech, in four circles of Mumbai, Maharashtra, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh (East).

Tata Teleservices, which has got GSM licence under dual technology policy, has also been allotted spectrum in the lucrative Mumbai circle while it is yet to get the radio frequency in other three circles.

With this, new players can now roll out services in 10 circles as the government has already released spectrum in six circles of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.

In Punjab, only three players have been accommodated as only 15 MHz spectrum was available. HFCL, a CDMA player, has got GSM spectrum in Punjab under the dual technology policy. Idea Cellular and Unitech are the other beneficiaries.

Similarly in the UP (East) region, Unitech, Datacom, Swan Telecom and Tatas have been allotted the airwaves.

In Maharashtra, Datacom, Spice (Idea) and Unitech have got the spectrum, official sources said here.

In the CDMA space, Shyam Telecom is the only new company that has got pan-Indian spectrum and is in the process to roll out network.