The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has recommended that the government charge firms like Bharti, Vodafone, BSNL and MTNL for the spectrum they have in excess of 6.2 MHz. It has also said that if firms that got licences in 2008 are to sell these off, they must pay the government for it. In both cases, the current 3G auction prices are to be the basis of the payments — the price to be charged for each unit of spectrum is to be the same as it is for 3G. This is a good idea. Those who are opposing it are essentially saying that it is all right for one lot of firms to have got spectrum free but it is not all right for others to get this.
Ajay Gupta, New Delhi
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