Reliance Communications [Get Quote] (RCom) has  paid  Rs 1,651 crore as licence fee to start pan-India GSM operations.

This follows the telecom ministry's announcement that it will allow operators to use alternate technologies � CDMA and GSM � to provide services in the country.

The company will be considered for allocation of GSM spectrum from the date of payment of the prescribed fee, Reliance Communications said in a release.

RCom will shortly commence its GSM operations on a pan- India basis in addition to its existing CDMA services.

At present, RCom through its subsidiary Reliance Telecom is offering GSM services in eight circles in the country. This will be further expanded to 14 circles, increasing its total presence to all 22 circles in the country. RCom has a total of over 5 million subscribers under its GSM fold.