Tatas to invest $2 bn in GSM

Tata Teleservices today said it would invest $2 billion (over Rs 8,000 crore) in rolling out GSM-based mobile services in the country.

The company, which currently offers mobile services on CDMA platform, is planning to launch the service by the end of the year, but is concerned about the slow pace of spectrum allocation by the government.

Speaking to PTI, Tata Teleservices Managing Director Anil Sardana said, "Over the next two years, the company will be putting in USD 2 billion for setting up nationwide GSM network. We are rolling out the network very quickly wherever we have been given spectrum so far."

The company has received spectrum in five circles even though it had applied for a pan-India allocation.

He said the delay in allocation in other circles was putting the company at "competitive disadvantage" as its arch- rival Reliance Communications has already done a soft launch of GSM services last week.

"We do understand that there are security concerns in some of the states/circles where spectrum cannot be allocated. But wherever it is available there should not be any delay as the government had earlier announced in January this year that enough spectrum is available in most of the circles to accommodate all the new players as well to meet the needs of the existing operators," he added.

On the recently announced 3G policy, he said there was no clear roadmap for the CDMA operators and the matter has been taken up with the government, which has assured the players of looking into their case.