The Department of Telecommunications' Wireless Planning and Coordination arm has moved a note to issue start-up spectrum of 4.4 MHz to four leading service providers offering GSM technology, whose applications have been pending from December 2006.
The story of the Eicher group, promoted by the Delhi-based Lal family, may some day make a case study, not least for its agility in coping with the changing reality of doing business in India.
Key operators of GSM mobile services are working on a counter-proposal on spectrum allocation that would include accepting a 25 per cent increase, at the most, in minimum subscriber numbers for operators to qualify for additional access to the radio frequencies that enable mobile communications.
Ask for file notings on dual spectrum, new licence issues.
In the largest private equity deal in the country ICICI Venture Funds Management Co has concluded a $800 million (Rs 3,200 crore) deal to buy a minority stake in Delhi-based Jaypee Infratech, a subsidiary of the infrastructure-to-hotels Jaypee Group.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has prepared an internal note that suggests reversing spectrum allocation norms by giving new applicants for telecom licences preference in spectrum due to be released by the defence forces early next year.
In a strategic climb-down, key members of the Cellular Operators Association of India have come to a consensus that they are willing to go for open auction of spectrum for second-generation services beyond 10 MHz.
Responding to a cabinet proposal to build a new airport in Jewar, Noida, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the joint venture that operates Delhi airport, has told the ministry of civil aviation that the expanded capacity of the modernised airport will take care of the entire traffic requirement in the 150-km catchment area around Delhi for the next 20 years. Jewar is 68 km from Delhi airport.
The fund, which will be launched next month, will have a tenure of ten years and the money will be invested in projects within three years. The fund from the country's largest private equity fund (it manages assets of over $2.5 billion in a diversified portfolio) comes just 18 months after it launched a real estate fund of $500 million. Of this, it has already invested 70 per cent in various projects.
These towers will be offered in the second phase of a scheme, launched in July this year, to provide subsidy to companies who want to build towers in various clusters and run mobile services in rural areas.
Naukri.com, which voluntarily started gathering data about caste from registered job seekers from May 2006, said 19 per cent of them were women, 3.4 per cent OBCs, 0.8 per cent SCs and 0.2 per cent STs. There are over 130,000 OBCs, 38,000 SCs and STs, 760,000 women, and 8,000 physically challenged job seekers registered on the job portal.
Branded Mobi-Retail, this service will be offered to the 35 million subscribers of Reliance Communications, who will be able to use their handsets to buy over 100,000 products ranging from fresh vegetables to groceries, readymade garments, toys etc.
Among the new guidelines under discussion, DoT is looking at raising the net worth criterion of companies applying for a pan-India UASL licence from Rs 1,380 crore to Rs 1,500 crore.
The 40 per cent market share cap suggested by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is likely to make mergers between existing telecom operators extremely tough.
Late commissioning to impact the exploration and production activities of ONGC.
Despite the controversy over the entry of foreign retail giants, the government has cleared foreign direct investment worth only $3.1 million in retail between February 2006 and May 2007.
Following Hyderabad-based GMR Infrastructure's successful bid for the new Istanbul airport and DS Construction's acquisition of energy company Globeleq's US assets, many mid-size infrastructure companies are planning to venture overseas.
In order to enhance air connectivity within the state, the Kerala government may underwrite a portion of seats of domestic carriers as part of its new civil aviation policy.
The government is in the process of structuring a uniform performance-linked incentive scheme for Air India and Indian Airlines employees after the merger of the two airlines.
Jet Airways Executive Director Saroj K Datta declined to comment, stating he has not got any circular from DIAL.