India Confirms Delay in 3G License Auction

­India's Telecom minister A Raja has confirmed that the country will miss the Dec 7th deadline for holding its 3G licenses. The delay, which has been put down to issues with the Defense Ministry releasing details of the radio spectrum it will be releasing for the 3G operators, is just the latest out of many set-backs for the licensing process.

Mr Raja also confirmed an earlier report in the Economic Times newspaper that the successful 3G bidders will also be allotted 2G airwaves. "The successful 3G bidder will be issued a universal access service licence (UASL)," he said, adding that they will be allocated 2G spectrum "as and when it is available".

The new deadline for the auction to take place is not yet clear, but is unlikely to be delayed by more than a couple of months. The Department of Telecom's website is still showing the old timetable for the auction.

Both state controlled operators, BSNL and MTNL already have 3G licenses, although they will be later required to pay a fee matching that paid by the private operators in the open auction.

On the web: Economic Times

Posted to the site on 9th October 2009