HBL – 2G auction: Existing players may be allowed only one slot of 1.25 Mhz
THOMAS K THOMAS
NEW DELHI, JUNE 11:
The Government may allow incumbent players to bid for only one slot of 1.25 Mhz spectrum in the upcoming 2G auction. There will be no such cap on new players taking part in the auction.
According to the auction plan being finalised, there will be at least 8 slots of 1.25 Mhz each up for grab. Even if four of the top incumbent players grab a slot each, there will be four more slots available for new players.
This opens up the door a wee bit for new operators as they will be permitted to buy a minimum of two slots each, according to the decision taken by the Empowered Group of Ministers at its meeting on June 5. In addition, the new entrants can buy one more slot.
Top Government officials said that the auction rules were being made keeping in mind… Continue reading
EGoM to decide spectrum price: Telecom commission
New Delhi:The telecom commission, in its second meeting on Saturday, failed to arrive at a decision on the reserve price for the forthcoming 2G spectrum auctions and left the final decision on the empowered group of ministers headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. However, for the ease of the EGoM to come to a final conclusion, it decided to refer the matter back to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to carry out the analysis of the reserve price and its impact on consumer tariffs, health of the telecom companies and government revenue.
The analysis by the Trai is expected by the end of May, which would be forwarded to the EGoM for a final decision. The EGoM is expected to meet in the first week of June. “The commission took note of the reserve price that Trai has recommended and it felt that an analysis… Continue reading
2G: Charges to be framed against Essar, Loop today
New Delhi: A Delhi Court will pronounce its order on Friday on farming of charges against Essar group and Loop Telecom promoters for allegedly committing offences of cheating and criminal conspiracy for obtaining the 2G spectrum licences from government.
“Put up for order on May 25. All the five accused person shall remain present in the court in person (on May 25),” Special CBI Judge OP Saini said after the CBI concluded its arguments on framing of charges on May 11.
The five persons who face the CBI charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy in the case are Essar group promoters Ravi Ruia and Anshuman Ruia and Loop Telecom promoters I P Khaitan and Kiran Khaitan, besides Essar group Director (Strategy and Planning) Vikash Saraf as accused in the case.
Besides the five, the CBI has also named in its charge sheet, filed on December 12, three companies, Loop… Continue reading
Telecom panel will have to defuse Trai bomb, DoT grenade
New Delhi: After Trai’s unkind cut, the Department of Telecom’s (DoT’s) revised suggestions on spectrum pricing appear unkinder.
An internal panel of DoT has, among other things, suggested raising the base price for the upcoming 2G spectrum auction to Rs 4,245 crore per Mhz, endorsed the higher 3 percent spectrum usage charge, called for raising the base price for 800 Mhz auctions, and shot down the deferred payment option suggested by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).
This means the DoT panel has been even less sympathetic to the telecom industry wails, and the Telecom Commission (TC) will have its work cut to chart a middle path between maximising revenues and giving the industry some relief.
Reuters
The Telecom Commission, the final policy-making body, is scheduled to meet on Thursday to consider Trai’s revised recommendations. But with the DoT panel taking an even more aggressive stand on spectrum pricing,… Continue reading
Bail to A Raja in 2G scam doesn’t mean a clean chit to him: Murli Manohar Joshi
NEW DELHI: Public Accounts Committee Chairperson and BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi today said the bail granted to 2G spectrum scam accused A Raja is part of the law taking its course but it does not mean he has been given a clean chit in the Rs 1.76 Lakh crore scandal.
Asked about the bail granted to Raja, Joshi said the Supreme Court had gone through his case and decided to grant him bail.
After spending 15 months in jail, Raja was granted bail yesterday but asked not to visit Tamil Nadu.
The former Telecom Minister attended the Lok Sabha today afternoon for a few minutes.
Source: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-05-16/news/31726806_1_clean-chit-spectrum-scam-2g
2G scam: Chronology of the events
New Delhi: Following is the chronology of the events in the 2G spectrum allocation scam in which the prime accused and former Telecom Minister A Raja was on Tuesday granted bail:
May 2007: A Raja takes over as telecom minister.
August 2007: Process of allotment of 2G spectrum for telecom along with Universal Access Service (UAS) Licences initiated by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
September 25, 2007: Telecom ministry issues press note fixing October 1, 2007 as deadline for receiving application for UASL licences.
October 1, 2007: DoT receives 575 applications for UAS licences of 46 companies.
November 2, 2007: The Prime Minister writes to Raja directing him to ensure fair allotment of the 2G spectrum.
November 22, 2007: Finance Ministry writes to DoT raising concerns over the procedure adopted by it. Demand for review rejected.
January 10, 2008: DoT decides to issue licences on first-come-first-served basis, preponing the… Continue reading
Chamber view sought on auction
 |
| New message |
New Delhi, May 11: The Supreme Court will commence hearings from July 10 on a Presidential reference moved by the government for its opinion on issues arising out of its 2G spectrum judgment, including whether auctioning of natural resources across all sectors is mandatory.
A five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia, issued notices to all states, 2G case petitioners — the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) and Subramanian Swamy — along with Ficci and the CII seeking their views.
The other judges on the bench were Justices D.K. Jain, J.S. Khehar, Dipak Misra and Ranjan Gogoi. The judges made it clear that they might hear other parties at a later stage.
Among other things, the Presidential reference had sought the top court’s opinion on whether auction was “the only permissible method of disposal of all natural resources across all sectors and in all… Continue reading
2G scam case: A Raja moves court for bail
Click to play videoNew Delhi: Former Union telecom minister A Raja, who has been facing trial in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case, has moved a Delhi court seeking bail.
The accused in the 2G spectrum scam has been behind bars for 15 months. He moved the court for the bail hours after former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura was granted bail by the court.
Notably, as many as 14 people were arrested in the 2G scam case and all but Raja are already out on bail.
A notice in this regard has been given to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to respond to Raja’s bail application. The matter will be heard on May 11.
Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/2g-scam-case-a-raja-moves-court-for-bail/256294-37-64.html
Spectrum Pricing Should Support Affordable Telecom Services in India: CII
New Delhi: CII has said that after careful consideration of the TRAI recommendations on “Auction of Spectrum“ by the National Committee on Telecom & Broadband of CII, which has representations of all major Telecom players of India, CII feels that at present juncture the auction of only 2G Spectrum should be considered to comply with the Supreme Court’s decision. The members unanimously feel that the reserve price for the auction of spectrum as recommended by TRAI is extremely high, which will hurt the overall national interests, inclusive growth and will be detrimental for the growth of the industry particularly the expansion of telecom and broadband services in the rural areas.
CII had made its recommendations to the Department of Telecommunications in this regard. It has recommended that the amount of Reserve Price for 2G spectrum auctions as recommended by TRAI do not appear to be based on realistic techno-economic… Continue reading
Recent Comments