Amid differences with ministry of finance over pricing the spectrum for 3G telecom services, the department of telecommunication has sought PMO's intervention and requested to convene a meeting between the finance ministry and DoT to reconcile the differences on the issue.
Telecom Secretary Siddartha Behura is learnt to have made a request to the Prime Minister's Office to convene a meeting that will include PMO, DoT, telecom regulator TRAI and finance secretary to resolve the controversy over spectrum allocation and pricing.
He said the department is in dialogue with the ministry of finance regarding certain issues relating to guidelines for auction of 3G spectrum and pricing of 2G spectrum.
DoT has also suggested that since recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India are involved in the matter, Chairman of the regulator may also be called for this meeting.
The issue of 3G spectrum heated up after differences emerged between DoT and TRAI as the latter favoured allowing only existing operators for 3G auctioning.
Trai had insisted that 3G auctions be restricted to existing UAS (universal access service) licensees (2G), by keeping out global bidders, which both DoT and the finance ministry have opposed.