The Budget for 2010-11 estimates the fiscal deficit, which represents excess government expenditure over its revenue, at Rs 3,81,408 crore or 5.5 per cent of GDP.
Two years after having allotted third-generation (3G) spectrum without any contest to its own telecom companies, on the promise that they'd match the prices later paid by private sector winners of the auction for it, the communications ministry now wants them to get it for free.
The government is likely to release spectrum on September one this year after it gets vacated by the defence forces.
The United States-based mobile chip maker Qualcomm today sold 26 per cent stake in broadband unit in India to Tulip Telecom and Global Holdings for $57.72 million (about Rs 268 crore).
A delay would also result in a loss of opportunity to add at least 10 million broadband customers per year, which would have helped increase broadband penetration. India had a total of 5.65 million broadband connections as on January 31, 2009, way below the 9-million subscriber target set by the DoT for 2007. The meagre growth -- the country is adding around 1 million subscribers per annum -- will make it difficult to meet the government's target of 20 million users by 2010.
State run BSNL on Monday it paid Rs 8,313.8 crore (Rs 83.13 billion) for Broadband Wireless Access spectrum, two days after the deadline expired, prompting the government to slap a penalty of Rs 30 crore (Rs 300 million) on the PSU.
The government on Tuesday exuded confidence that revenues from sale of spectrum for 3G telephony and broadband may touch Rs 50,000-55,000 crore (Rs 500-550 billion), beating the budget estimates of Rs 35,000 crore (Rs 350 billion).
Faster connectivity, a host of value added services like internet TV, video-on-demand, audio-video calls and high-speed data exchange will soon be a reality in India as one of the biggest auctions begins today for 3G spectrum.
Foreign companies, except those already present in India, have stayed away from the auction of third-generation mobile spectrum, or 3G, though two new ones are keen on broadband wireless access.Not one new foreign company has applied for 3G. The last day for showing interest in bidding for 3G and BWA spectrum drew to a close on Friday.
The Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI), which represents ISP operators in the country, is planning to go to telecom tribunal TDSAT against the new guidelines on licence for broadband wireless access (BWA) services, announced on Friday by Communications Minister A Raja.
The licensee will have to ensure that at least half the areas under rural telecom exchanges gets the required street level coverage.
The bid for pan-India spectrum for 3G telephony on Thursday crossed Rs 15,000 crore (Rs 150 billion) and is still rising.
The revenue from the 3G spectrum sale touched a whopping Rs 58,416 crore (Rs 584.16 billion) with the bid for a national third generation mobile licence hitting Rs 14,446 crore (Rs 144.46 billion) on Day 28 of the auction on Wednesday.
The government would earn a minimum of Rs 38,000 crore (Rs 380 billion) from the 3G auction, with the pan-India licence reaching a bid of about Rs 9,521 crore (Rs 95.21 billion) on the 18th day, up by over 172 per cent from a base price of Rs 3,500 crore (Rs 35 billion).
Bharti Airtel customers can now avail its 4G data plans starting from Rs 450, down 31 per cent from Rs 650 earlier in Bengaluru, Kolkata, Pune and Chandigarh circles.
The opening of bids has been deferred to September 22 from September 3 as decided earlier. The pre-bid conference, which was to be held on August 27, has also been re-scheduled to September 8. However, according to the revised schedule issued by the communications ministry, there will be no delay in the date of identifying the agency. The finalisation of the bids will be completed by September 30 as announced earlier by Telecom Secretary Siddhartha Behura.
Addressing a pre-bid conference for auctioning 3G and BWA spectrum, telecom commission member (finance) R Ashok said, "Successful 3G bidders will be eligible for getting 2G spectrum." The auction for the allocation of third-generation radio waves is due next month. But there was confusion whether 3G players would be eligible to get 2G spectrum.
The CAG has suggested canceling nationwide broadband spectrum allocated to Infotel Broadband Services, now a Reliance Industries company, for allegedly rigging the auction and violating rules.
To revive the two state-run telecom operators, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), the government is likely to waive the one-time fee these telcos need to pay for retaining additional spectrum.
The JV between the two has won BWA spectrum in Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala.
Telecom Commission approves high base price of Rs 11,485 cr per Mhz for 700-Mhz frequency; no decision taken on proposed standard spectrum usage charges of 4.5%
With this acquisition, Airtel will be second company, after Reliance Jio, in the country to have pan-India presence in 2300 Mhz band
Rs 200-cr burden likely for TV rating agencies.
BSNL, which was formed in 2000, was in the pink of financial health but lost to competition because of inadequate investment in infrastructure expansion that ought to have been provided during past few years, he told Rajya Sabha.
The auction will continue on Tuesday as there is still some spectrum left.
The auction will continue on Monday.
The spectrum auction has already generated record amount.
Telecom companies have put in bids worth Rs 58,332 crore (Rs 583.32 billion) in spectrum auction at the end of 49 rounds on the 7th day of bidding on Monday.
Company has plans to launch its latest 4G enabled phone Lumia 830 priced at around Rs 26,000 before taxes by Oct.
Spectrum auction kitty dips to Rs 1.05 lakh crore.
There are 29 licences in 18 service areas which will expire in 2015-16.
43 rounds of bidding has taken place.
The auction will help operators augment expansion of high-speed 4G voice and data services in the world's second largest mobile phone market.
Telecom operators continued to place bids for 800 MHz and 1800 MHz bands.
The amount generated so far is about 86 per cent of what the 3G auction fetched in 2010.
Market breadth continued to remain strong, with 1899 gainers and 674 losers on the BSEs.
Spectrum auction took off on Wednesday from Rs 58,980.29 crore (Rs 589.80 billion) mark with demand for the premium 900 Mhz band seemingly tapering off at the end of 56 rounds.
Telecom companies put in bids worth a total of about Rs 45,000 crore (Rs 450 billion) on the second day of the auction on Tuesday, with premium 900 Mhz band in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata witnessing continuing demand.
While the draft M&A policy for the telecom sector has been revised a few times over the past few months, DoT has not made any major changes to guidelines.
Within a week of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India giving its final recommendations on the valuation and pricing of spectrum, Chairman Rahul Khullar speaks to Business Standard on the process the regulator followed in finalising the much-debated issue.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances