Cabinet may consider relief package for telecom today: Sources

The Cabinet may today consider a relief package for the financially-stressed telecom sector, a senior government official said.
The proposal is based on the recommendations of the inter-ministerial group (IMG) on the revival of the sector, and includes extending the duration of spectrum payment for telcos.
The Cabinet could consider relief measures for telecom industry at its meeting today, the official said on condition of anonymity.
As part of relief measures for the debt-ridden telecom sector, the Telecom Commission had earlier concurred with the IMG recommendation to extend the time period for the payment of spectrum bought in auctions by operators to 16 years from the current 10 years.

The commission had also approved sector regulator Trai's recommendation that the ceiling on spectrum held by mobile operators within a particular band be removed. It had suggested 50 per cent cap on combined radiowave holding in efficient bands.