The department of telecommunications has agreed to set up a search committee to look for new chairmen and managing directors for both, as suggested by the Sam Pitroda-led committee on the organsiation's revamp.
DoT will call operators offering such services within a few days to discuss the issue and make it clear that they may not be left with any option but direct stopping of the services.
An attempt is to be made over the next month to get over the opposition of staff unions to the Pitroda Committee recommendations on the revamp of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), the state telecom network outside Mumbai and Delhi.
Reliance Power (R-Power), a Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) company, is close to finalising a gas-based power plant in Gujarat with a capacity of 7,000 Mw to 8,000 Mw. This would entail an investment of around Rs 30,000 crore, based on investment levels that are normally required for power projects at present.
The department of information and technology (DIT) is considering an amendment in the Information Technology Act (IT Act) to facilitate this move, according to an internal note prepared by the department of telecommunications (DoT).
The Centre is mulling over creation of an independent body to regulate the country's vast retail sector. The retail regulatory authority would ensure a level playing field for indigenous retail traders if the government opens the sector to more foreign participation. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Food has convened a meeting on July 8 in Delhi to discuss this and other proposals and chart a comprehensive plan for the sector, according to the agenda paper of the meeting.
Loop Telecom has been looking for a strategic investor for some time now and people close to the development said the telecom operator was willing to sell up to 45 per cent stake in the firm.
The decision had been communicated to the department of telecommunications, a senior official of the department told Business Standard.
In what could close the doors for import of Chinese equipment in power transmission, state-run Power Grid Corporation is making it mandatory for suppliers to have manufacturing facilities in India within three years. The company's board is likely to approve the proposal in its meeting on July 2.
Leading Indian companies are considering whether to bid for the India cricket team sponsorship for the next three years. The deadline for doing so is Saturday.
Fresh trouble seems to be brewing between the defence ministry and the Department of Telecommunications over spectrum and this could put a question mark on the launch of third generation telephony services in the country by March next year.
Eleven telcos, whose licences will expire between 2014 and 2021, will have to pay this 13-figure sum if the government accepts the telecom regulator's proposal of pricing second generation radio airwaves on the basis of prices determined at the just-concluded auction of third generation spectrum.
With the government making a distinction between the privately-run Reliance Natural Resources Ltd and the government-run NTPC Ltd in relation with the gas dispute with Reliance Industries Ltd, the ministry of power is likely to take up NTPC's case with the Empowered Group of Ministers.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is likely to reject the telecom regulator's proposal to charge operators holding excess spectrum at a rate determined on the basis of the ongoing 3G bids.
The money constitutes nearly 26 per cent of the total domestic borrowing of the Indian corporate sector in 2008-09.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman J S Sarma said his recommendation to tweak the existing norms for mergers and acquisitions aims to prevent the union of two big companies or a big and a medium-sized operator, but it provides enough scope for mergers between others.
Indian telecom operators came out in open support of Chinese equipment makers, saying the government cannot deprive Indian consumers of the cutting-edge technology which these companies offer by denying security clearance to them.
Operators Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone-Essar, Aircel, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd and Idea Cellular might have to fork out over Rs 11,200 crore for having spectrum beyond 6.2 MHz, if the government accepts the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) recommendations.
Operators with more than 6.2 MHz of spectrum in GSM will have to cough up more if the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has its way. Trai is recommending sweeping changes in the country's telecom landscape by replacing the current subscriber-based allocation of 2G spectrum.
Maruti Suzuki has asked its 200-odd vendors to cut their component costs by three per cent across the board in this financial year.