Telecom operators discuss spectrum issues with Sibal
March 8th, 2011 - 4:45 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, March 8 (IANS) Communications Minister Kapil Sibal Tuesday met different telecom operators to discuss various issues related to second generation (2G) spectrum.
“A range of issues were discussed. There were about 15 points that were on the table,” Sibal told reporters here.
“Our effort is to take the stakeholders on board. All of them were called and they gave their points of view on the recommendations of TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India),” the minister said.
The TRAI had recommended in February a six-fold hike in the fee charged for scarce spectrum, or airwaves, on mobile phone service firms in two stages of up to 6.2 megahertz and beyond, leaving the industry worried.
Against a price of Rs.267.51 crore companies had to pay for each megahertz(MHz), the watchdog had recommended Rs.1,769.75 crore per MHz for up to 6.2 megahertz and Rs.4,571.87 per MHz for any additional spectrum.
The meeting comes in the wake of a major scam in the award of airwaves for second-generation (2G) telecom services that led to the resignation of A. Raja as telecom minister in November last year and his subsequent arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The official auditor had estimated that the policies followed during Raja’s reign had resulted in a loss of between $12.8 billion and $40 billion to the exchequer by allegedly misusing his office and favouring some telecom companies.
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- No decision on 2G pricing, EGoM favours refarming spectrum - Jun 05, 2012
- Re-farming of spectrum will harm incumbents: Assocham - May 19, 2012
- EGoM to decide on spectrum pricing Thursday - Jun 20, 2012
- EGoM on 2G spectrum deferred - Jun 21, 2012
- Telecom honchos to meet Sibal - May 02, 2012
- EGoM to recommend spectrum price, but cabinet to take call - Jul 20, 2012
- 2G spectrum base price decision deferred till Friday (Lead) - Jul 18, 2012
- GSM players to contest TRAI theory of minor tariff hike - May 07, 2012
- Reserve price of spectrum major concern: COAI - Jun 30, 2012
- One-time fee for extra spectrum under consideration: Sibal - Aug 24, 2012
Tags: cbi, central bureau of investigation, kapil sibal, megahertz, mobile phone service, New Delhi, raja, resignation, second generation, spectrum issues, stakeholders, telecom companies, telecom operators, telecom regulatory authority, telecom regulatory authority of india, telecom services, trai, watchdog