Indian Regulator Favours Auction for 3G License Awards

India's telecoms regulator, TRAI favours an auction for the future 3G spectrum allocations. Speaking at FICCI seminar, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chairman Nripendra Misra also said that the auction should be restricted to incumbent operators and not opened to new entrants.

He also called for a rise in license fees for the allocation of licenses in new circles within the country which would be supported by the growth potential within the market.

Misra also told The Economic Times newspaper, that to maintain a level playing field among the 2G operators, TRAI had not recommended auction of 2G spectrum.

TRAI favoured auctioning of spectrum in its 3G recommendations published last year and proposed a base price of Rs 1,400 crore (US$356 million) for a national 3G license.

On the web: The Economic Times

Posted to the site on 12th November 2007