Raja briefs PM on spectrum, number portability

Communications Minister A Raja today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and briefed him about developments in the telecom sector including recent policy decisions like number portability and releasing spectrum for third generation (3G) mobile services.

The meeting lasted for about 25 minutes, official sources said but did not give further details.

Raja's meeting with Singh comes in the wake of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), a lobby of existing GSM players, labelling serious allegations against the minister saying the decision regarding use of dual technology has been taken in a completely non-transparent manner.

Raja had, last week, informed Singh that COAI was misleading the nation against the "scientific approach" on spectrum allocation.

The sector has been witnessing various controversies over the use of dual technology by a single operator and the new method of spectrum allocation even as the government has set up a fresh panel to revisit the recommendations of Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC) on the issue of spectrum.

Both the issues have been challenged by COAI before telecom tribunal TDSAT.

Some COAI members have sought Singh's intervention to protect their interests while CDMA players and new applicants have accused the GSM lobby of being anti-competition.