telecommunications — english language news service
04.08.2008« [telecommunications — телекоммуникация — telekommunikation]
india — bsnl, mtnl to offer 3g service within six months
Following the recent announcement of guidelines for the 3G auction process in India, it has been revealed that commercial 3G services may be up and running within six months, according to Indian news source The Economic Times. Last week it confirmed that state-owned Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) would be allocated one block of spectrum each in Delhi/Mumbai and the rest of the country respectively. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has now confirmed it has also reserved spectrum for both operators. The move will give the companies a five month head-start over their private sector rivals, with BSNL chairman Kuldeep Goyal confirming, ‘We will roll out an all-India 3G network in six months starting from the north and east.’ As part of the arrangement both BSNL and MTNL will have to match the highest bid after the auction is completed.
Details for a possible second round of 3G auctions have also been announced. The DoT expects to offer up to five licences per circle in the first round, but has said that some regions may see up to ten licences made available through a second round of auctions .This second round will begin after the defence force vacates spectrum it currently holds; estimations are that this could take place as early as mid-2009. The DoT has also stated that the reserve price for the second round will be higher than the initial auctions, with the highest first round bid in each circle bid setting the second round reserve price.
Source: TeleGeography's CommsUpdate
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