The government is believed to have cleared the way for cellular mobile operators to offer services using both technologies - CDMA and GSM - a move that has irked the powerful cellular association which cried foul.

As the reports trickled that the permission for the use of twin-technology would benefit the aspiring Reliance [Get Quote] Communication, an Anil Ambani group company, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) shot a letter to the government saying that such a permission was against the existing policy and is tantamount to favouring a few.

While Reliance Communication spokesman declined to comment on whether the company got a government nod on its year-long application, no official confirmation could be obtained from the Department of Telecommunication (DoT).

The news about Reliance Communication as also Shyam Telecom [Get Quote] and Mahendra Nahata-promoted HFCL started doing the rounds this evening, coinciding with the meeting of the Telecom Commission in New Delhi.

RCom had approached DoT last year seeking spectrum to start GSM-based mobile services in all states other than the eight in the eastern region where the company is already having GSM operations.

The DoT is understood to have cleared the proposal based on the recommendations of telecom regulator TRAI in this regard.

Protesting against the move, COAI said in its letter to DOT that "Without prejudice to our submissions that such crossover/dual allocation of spectrum cannot and should not be permitted, it is submitted that even if the same were to be allowed, it can only be done through change in both policy as well as license as also after following the process of law."