ID :
46296
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 21:06
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/46296
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Start services or face action: DoT to new telecom operators
Sunil Batra
Barcelona, Feb 18 (PTI) The Indian government Wednesday
warned eight new players like Unitech, Swan, Loop, among
others, of action if they do not roll out services even though
the delay on the part of some of them could be put down to
working out tie-ups with foreign firms.
The Government's stance may be a dampener because new
players offer an opportunity to overseas entities to come to
India, one of the fastest-growing markets in the world.
"One year is coming to an end. It is time to ask the new
players. We cannot allow them to hoard precious spectrum. It
is required for use elsewhere," Telecom Secretary Siddartha
Behura told PTI in an exclusive interview.
Behura is here to attend the GSM Mobile World Congress
and has met a number of foreign operators, vendors and other
telecom players.
The DoT is planning to convene a meeting of all new
operators who were given licence in January 2008 and were also
alloted spectrum within a few months in a number of circles.
Communication and IT Minister A Raja has been facing
charges of favouring new operators by giving them spectrum at
Rs 1,651 crore for the entire country as against the market
price, which is several times greater.
Behura said that spectrum is a national resource and
should not be kept unused. Many operators are facing a
shortage of spectrum and this was affecting their quality of
services.
"We would see what the licence terms and conditions say.
If there is any gap we would introduce new conditions to
ensure that no one hoards spectrum," he said, adding efficient
use of spectrum is very very essential.
As per the existing terms and conditions of the licence,
the DoT can take back spectrum if the operators fail to roll
out services within three years of getting radio frequency,
he said.
Among the new operators, Unitech has joined hands with
Norway's Telenor and the foreign partner is in the process of
getting regulatory and governmental approval before
embarking on rolling out its network.
Similarly Swan Telecom has sold a 45 per cent stake to
Etisalat while others are yet to start announce their plans.
Shyam Telecom, which has sold a 74 per cent stake to
Sistema of Russia, has started operations from Rajasthan. The
Shyam-Sistema combine is offering CDMA-based services while
all other new players have opted for GSM. PTI
Barcelona, Feb 18 (PTI) The Indian government Wednesday
warned eight new players like Unitech, Swan, Loop, among
others, of action if they do not roll out services even though
the delay on the part of some of them could be put down to
working out tie-ups with foreign firms.
The Government's stance may be a dampener because new
players offer an opportunity to overseas entities to come to
India, one of the fastest-growing markets in the world.
"One year is coming to an end. It is time to ask the new
players. We cannot allow them to hoard precious spectrum. It
is required for use elsewhere," Telecom Secretary Siddartha
Behura told PTI in an exclusive interview.
Behura is here to attend the GSM Mobile World Congress
and has met a number of foreign operators, vendors and other
telecom players.
The DoT is planning to convene a meeting of all new
operators who were given licence in January 2008 and were also
alloted spectrum within a few months in a number of circles.
Communication and IT Minister A Raja has been facing
charges of favouring new operators by giving them spectrum at
Rs 1,651 crore for the entire country as against the market
price, which is several times greater.
Behura said that spectrum is a national resource and
should not be kept unused. Many operators are facing a
shortage of spectrum and this was affecting their quality of
services.
"We would see what the licence terms and conditions say.
If there is any gap we would introduce new conditions to
ensure that no one hoards spectrum," he said, adding efficient
use of spectrum is very very essential.
As per the existing terms and conditions of the licence,
the DoT can take back spectrum if the operators fail to roll
out services within three years of getting radio frequency,
he said.
Among the new operators, Unitech has joined hands with
Norway's Telenor and the foreign partner is in the process of
getting regulatory and governmental approval before
embarking on rolling out its network.
Similarly Swan Telecom has sold a 45 per cent stake to
Etisalat while others are yet to start announce their plans.
Shyam Telecom, which has sold a 74 per cent stake to
Sistema of Russia, has started operations from Rajasthan. The
Shyam-Sistema combine is offering CDMA-based services while
all other new players have opted for GSM. PTI
