3G auction likely to delay again

3G auction likely to delay again

January 30, 2010

The 3G technology seems to be getting farther away as the auction of spectrum for 3G telephony is likely to get delayed again. The law ministry has suggested the auction be done only after availability of spectrum, which would otherwise create legal complications.

The auction was earlier scheduled to begin on January 14, but got delayed due to uncertainity over the number of slots and unavailability of spectrum.

The suggestion by the ministry might have been prompted by the advice of the legal advisor of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), who said the 3G auction should be conducted for only those slots where spectrum can be allotted by September this year, as the government might lose huge amounts of revenue if the deadline of assigning spectrum is not kept, a senior ministry official said.

DoT had sent the draft notice inviting applications for 3G to the law ministry for approval.

The government plans to take the upfront payment for auction of 3G spectrum within 15 days of the completion of the process, which may create legal hurdles as spectrum would be available by the September 1 this year, according to the law ministry. The winners in the auction may ask for compensation or can go to court if the government is unable to allot the spectrum on time.

DoT has enough spectrum to auction two slots of 3G spectrum, while spectrum for the third slot would be available by September. The defence ministry would vacate the fourth slot by 2013.

A Raja: 3G auctions to complete within this fiscal

3G auctions to complete within fiscal: CommMin

20 Jan 2010

Union Communications Minister A Raja said the 3G auctions and subsequent process will be completed within this fiscal.

"The government is keen to complete the 3G auction process well within the financial year," he said. According to the Minister, the notice inviting applications (NIA) will be issued this week.

It can be emphasized here that the 3G spectrum auction has been delayed for many times.

Even before the auction starts, the delay has resulted in a loss of Rs 10,000 crore to the government exchequer. The government was expecting to cough up Rs 35,000 crore since last year from 3G and BWA auctions but this figure slid to Rs 25,000 crore now.

DoT asks BSNL to expedite work

DoT to BSNL: Speed up work on alternate network for Defence

Jan 6, 2010

The DoT has asked BSNL to expedite the work for introducing a network for the Defence forces. The agreement is a part of the MoU signed between the DoT and the Ministry of Defence and also asked BSNL to set up a monitoring mechanism for the project immediately.

The setting up of network on time is important as it is directly linked to the vacation of spectrum by the Defence forces. Any delay in setting up the network will subsequently delay the vacation of spectrum which in turn will prolong the wait for 3G spectrum.

According to an internal note by DoT joint secretary JS Deepak, "I understand that the team has not been constituted and this matter was adversely viewed during the review meeting taken by the high-level monitoring committee under the chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary at a meeting last week,” says a DoT internal note.

As per the MoU, a team comprising BSNL CMD as mission director was to be constituted which was also supposed to have representatives from the Defence and the DoT.

DoT invites applications for 3G on Jan 10

DoT to issue notice inviting applications for 3G on Jan 10

Jan 5

The DoT is introducing a schedule related to 3G and BWA spectrum auctioning in the country. The procedure will begin from January 10 with DoT inviting applications from interested players.

The auction is scheduled around February 12 and continue till March 10 with the successful bidders paying the bid amount by that time.

The new schedule would almost delay a month when compared to the earlier released itinerary. As per the earlier schedule, auction was supposed to start by January 14.

The DoT will send the 3G spectrum auction policy to the Law Ministry for a final review.

MNP from Mar 31

Number portability from Mar 31

As all telcos in metros and A’ circles are notified by DoT to support mobile number portability (MNP) by December 31, 2009 for phase I, it has now forced the DoT to introduce MNP across the country in one go on March 31, 2010.

“The government has now decided to implement it in whole of the country in one go, by March 31, 2010,” said DoT.

According to the Department of Telecom, after a series of meetings with the mobile operators to assess their readiness for MNP implementation, it was found that while some have technically upgraded and augmented their networks and some have established physical links with MNP operators, others are still in the process.

It can be stressed here that MNP implementation and 3G spectrum auctioning had been delayed. It is a mismanagement of the the communications ministry in being unable to execute originally announced schedules related to these issues.