Telcom panel may discuss 3G e-auction

Telecom Commission, the policy making wing of Department of Telecom (DoT), is likely to discuss the process of e-auction of 3G spectrum and consider allowing WiMax operators offering voice telephony on Monday.

Highly placed sources said the commission may meet on September 8 to discuss the e-auction process report to be submitted by the designated committee headed by its member (finance) R Ashok.

The committee was set up to frame guidelines for the e-auction of these radio frequencies. The current guidelines, which have been already announced by DoT, relates to specifying the reserve price, the eligibility criteria, revenue share and rollout obligations of successful bidders.

But this committee will spell out the finer details of how exactly the auction will be conducted.

The e-auction will be conducted separately for each circle as the reserve price is different across circles and the availability of 3G spectrum is uneven across the country.

The other important decision that could be discussed on Monday is DoT’s proposal that winners in the upcoming licence auctions for broadband wireless access (BWA) – or mobile WiMax – should be able to offer voice as well as data services.

According to the sources, this will come at a higher price. DoT, now, has proposed that BWA licence winners pay at least 50 per cent of the base 3G licence cost, against calculating the BWA licence reserve price at 25 per cent of the 3G licence reserve price as announced earlier.