DoT strikes back on spectrum issue

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has strongly defended its recent moves on spectrum allocation to mobile operators.

In a detailed reply to a missive from the Prime Minister's Office, the DoT has said its recent move to allow use of dual-technology to mobile operators is based on existing policies.

According to government sources, the DoT reply, sent late on Saturday night, has also rejected the contention of private GSM operators that the department has shown undue favour to any particular company. It also pointed out that its moves are aimed at introducing more competition and fair play in the mobile services market.

Sources added that DoT is also pointing out that existing operator licences only guarantee them 6.2 MHz of spectrum, but they have historically managed to get more than this quota.

The reply comes even as the Solicitor General is believed to have given his view on a DoT reference seeking his opinion on grant of new unified access service licences and use of dual-technology spectrum by operators.

Private GSM operators are banking on high level government intervention in resolving their tangle with DoT over the revised spectrum allocation norms finalised earlier this week. According to sources in the know, a section of GSM operators want DoT's actions to be scrutinised at the level of a group of ministers (GoM). Another option that has been floated is for some sort of "limited auction" for spectrum of second generation (2G) mobile services.

In the past, former communications minister Dayanidhi Maran had resisted the attempts of a GoM headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on spectrum and present Communications Minister A. Raja would also reject any such body as interference in his domain.

Hectic parleys have been held in the capital over the past few days, which saw leading lights of the private mobile industry meet several key persons in the central government as well as Raja. The operators are believed to have requested DoT to reconsider its approach on the issue.

Raja is believed to have told those who visited him that his hands had been tied by the operators choosing to approach the Telecom Tribunal. Accordingly, one operator - Maxis (Aircel) "� has already withdrawn the case, while there is speculation that Spice Communications is also on the verge of following suit.