In a move that could pave the way for open auction of the 2G spectrum released from 122 cancelled operators, a draft Cabinet note prepared by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has recommended the spectrum price be discovered through an auction involving "existing players and new parties".
Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd is a venture involving equity participation by Sistema of Russia, the Russian Federation and the Shyam Group of India.
This will be the second high-profile exit from the company in recent months after Arun Kapur, the former chief executive, quit late last year.
To speed up the vacation of additional 2G and 3G telecom spectrum, the government will likely make a Rs 5,000-crore (Rs 50 billion) provision in the Budget for an alternative network for defence services. The spectrum released in lieu of that would increase the availability for civilian use.
We are not a fly-by-night operator, says Sandip Das.
Four proposals by foreign firms deferred; half a dozen others waiting in the wings.
Regulator puts price at average of 1.65 times 3G cost; Sibal's approval needed for rollout.
The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) has rejected a proposal by Mauritius-based Axiata Investments 2 India Ltd, part of Asian telecom giant Axiata Group, to increase its stake in Idea Cellular by acquiring shares from the stock exchange.
The approval will, however, be subject to the regular conditions on valuation and pricing norms laid down by the Reserve Bank of India.
A rollback or dilution of the policy is not the only fear these multinationals have; they are also facing upfront political opposition.
Retailers need to get up to 50 permissions from a state government before they can start a new store. And, the permissions required include things like valet parking, use of insecticides, chillers and freezers or sale of non-vegetarian processed food.
The joint letter to Manmohan Singh was written by Sunil Mittal, chairman of Bharti Airtel, Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla group which has promoted Idea Cellular, and Vittoria Colao, chairman of Vodafone Group Plc.
The country's largest car maker has come under the spotlight for working out a quiet settlement with union leader Sonu Gujjar and other workers by paying them Rs 16 lakh (Rs 1.6 million) each, much more than they would have got under a normal severance package or voluntary retirement scheme.
DoT has stated in an internal note that the 3G roaming agreements between these three companies are tantamount to their becoming mobile virtual network operators, something not allowed under the current policy.
Proposes conversion of Rs 1 lakh crore cumulative losses into bonds or loans.
According to a senior company official, BSNL is in the process of appointing recovery agents on a commission basis to bring back the money.
The Department of Telecommunications is planning to give more powers to the telecom regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, in the new telecom policy, including the power to impose financial penalties on the erring telecom service providers.
British consumer goods major Reckitt Benckiser, which bought over local start-up Paras Pharmaceuticals for a staggering Rs 3,260 crore (Rs 32.6 billion) last year, is converting its acquired Baddi plant in Himachal Pradesh into a global hub for manufacturing over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical products.
The New Telecom policy 2011 and the Spectrum Act are expected to address these concerns.
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