New Delhi: Time is appropriate to "reactivate" the GoM on spectrum vacation that could free over 122 Mhz of radiowaves as DoT has almost completed alternate communication network for defence forces, Sam Pitroda, Adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has said.
"With the anticipated completion of the terrestrial network for defence services undertaken by DoT...there are fresh possibilities for vacation of more spectrum by the defence services. In addition, digitisation of Prasar Bharti has the potential of freeing valuable spectrum for telecom services," Pitroda said in a letter.
"Therefore, time is opportune to reactivate the GoM (Group of Ministers) to focus on certain spectrum availability and utilisation issues of considerable relevance to continued growth of telecom and broadcasting sectors," he added.
Pitroda is of the view that 80 megahertz of airwaves frequencies for 4G services can be freed from the spectrum held by Department of Space (DoS). "DoS has earlier released 40 Mhz for mobile services. Out of the balance 150 Mhz, as per radio regulations, DoS has no proposal to utilise 80 Mhz. The frequency has been earmarked internationally for 4G/BWA (Wireless Broadband) services," he said....
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08:55 PM, May 17, 2013
London: The number of mobile phone subscriptions are set to outnumber the world's population by the end of 2014, a United Nations agency report has said. According to the International Telecoms Union's (ITU) prediction, mobile phone subscriptions will pass a whopping seven billion early in 2014. Currently, there are 6.8 billion mobile phone subscriptions while the world's population is 7.1 billion. More than a third of the global population are...
08:03 PM, May 12, 2013
New Delhi: A Group of Ministers is expected to consider a DoT proposal on Thursday that may clear the way for state-owned telecom firms, BSNL and MTNL, to venture into cable TV and broadcasting services to help infuse life into the loss making companies. The Department of Telecom (DoT) is learnt to have forwarded several suggestions to the Group of Ministers, headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, that include BSNL...
11:35 PM, May 09, 2013
New Delhi: Former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, a key prosecution witness in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, is likely to appear before a Delhi court on May 28 to depose in the case. The CBI on Thursday submitted before Special CBI Judge OP Saini its list of prosecution witnesses to be called for recording of their statements before the court and Radia's evidence is slated for May 28. Radia, who...
05:25 PM, May 09, 2013
New Delhi: When it comes to the number of disputes of phone billing, Aircel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular fared the worst in several service areas during the quarter ended December 2012, according to a report by regulator TRAI. According to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) Performance indicator Report released today, Aircel customers in 10 out of 22 telecom service areas disputed bills, Vodafone consumers in four and Idea subscribers...
10:37 AM, May 07, 2013
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday fixed July 8 for further proceedings in the additional 2G spectrum allocation case in which Bharti Cellular CMD Sunil Mittal, Essar Group promoter Ravi Ruia and others have been summoned as accused. Special CBI Judge OP Saini deferred the matter as the Supreme Court on April 26 had issued notice to CBI on Mittal's plea challenging the summons issued against him and had...
01:24 PM, Apr 29, 2013
Mumbai: Buoyed by strong growth in voice usage and data consumption, telecom operator Idea Cellular on Thursday posted 29 per cent jump in consolidated net profit at Rs 308.18 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2013. Given the strong performance, the company has announced a dividend for the first time in 16 years. The company's net profit stood at Rs 238.98 crore in the same period last fiscal....
09:56 AM, Apr 26, 2013
JPC chairman PC Chacko has refuted the allegations made by former telecom minister A Raja saying the latter was given heard by the panel before the draft report was prepared. Raja has alleged that the JPC prepared its report without hearing him. ...
07:20 PM, Apr 22, 2013
New Delhi: Hours after he reiterated his allegation that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was aware of all the decisions taken in connection with the allocation of 2G spectrum, former telecom minister A Raja on Monday attacked the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for not allowing him to depose before it. The JPC is examining the 2G spectrum allocation. "This is not the way the JPC is expected to function," said Raja....
07:13 PM, Apr 22, 2013
New Delhi: Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal has asked a committee, which is examining the conditions for allocation of spectrum to different entities, to submit its report soon. The Minister approved a note for expansion of the committee on April 1, 2013 and asked the panel to submit its report in one month from the date of its reconstitution, official sources said. "The issue (spectrum assignment) impacts other ministries such as...
02:15 AM, Apr 13, 2013
New Delhi: Bharti CMD Sunil Mittal and Essar group promoter Ravi Ruia, who have been summoned as accused in the additional 2G spectrum allocation case, on Thursday appeared in a Delhi court which posted the matter for further proceedings on April 16. Mittal's counsel placed before special CBI judge OP Saini the order passed by the Supreme Court postponing till April 16 the proceedings in the case. Besides Mittal and...
12:33 PM, Apr 11, 2013
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to refrain from taking any "coercive steps" against Bharti Airtel, accused of illegally providing intra-circle roaming facilities in seven circles where it did not have the licences for the 3G spectrum. The apex court also asked the parties to maintain status quo on the issue till the matter is heard on April 11. "Let the matter be listed on April...
08:23 PM, Apr 08, 2013
New Delhi: Terming the present state of the Indian telecom sector as a transition phase, National Innovation Council Chairman Sam Pitroda on Monday said the next revolution is expected to be much bigger than the earlier one. "We are just going through a transition, everybody goes through a transition, sometimes you fall down, hurt your elbow, but its OK," Pitroda who is also advisor to the Prime Minister on public...
04:10 PM, Apr 08, 2013
New Delhi: Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal is learnt to have approved a recommendation by two internal committees of the Department of Telecom (DoT) for imposing a fine of about Rs 104 crore on Vodafone for allegedly violating the licence conditions on routing of calls. "It was approved on March 23," official sources said. The fine is based on the loss estimated by internal committees of DoT to the national exchequer...
03:04 PM, Apr 04, 2013
New Delhi: Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal is learnt to have approved a recommendation by two internal committees of the Department of Telecom (DoT) for imposing a fine of about Rs 104 crore on Vodafone for allegedly violating the licence conditions on routing of calls. "It was approved on March 23," official sources said. The fine is based on the loss estimated by internal committees of DoT to the national exchequer...
09:10 AM, Apr 04, 2013
The Bharatiya Janata Party has hit out at JPC Chairman PC Chacko for what it calls delaying the proceedings in the 2G scam case and dragging his feet on calling former telecom A Raja to depose before the panel. "For some strange reason our chairman PC Chacko is neither calling a meeting of the JPC nor is inviting Raja to appear as a witness. There is something seriously wrong," said...
03:03 PM, Apr 01, 2013
Former telecom minister A Raja has defended the Telecom Ministry's decision to bypass the Law Ministry in seeking legal opinion of the then Solicitor General GE Vahanvati directly on 2G issue saying it was "perfectly permissible" to approach the law officer in certain cases. Raja told the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on 2G issue that it is "perfectly permissible" for a government department to seek the opinion of a law...
12:01 PM, Mar 31, 2013
Senior IAS officer MF Farooqui is likely to be the next Telecom Secretary. Farooqui, who is currently Secretary in the Department of Heavy Industries, is tipped to replace Rentala Chandrashekhar who superannuates at the end of this month. The Cabinet Committee on Appointments (ACC) is believed to have cleared Farooqui's name and an announcement is likely to be made shortly. The Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officer of 1978 batch, Farooqui...
06:06 PM, Mar 29, 2013
Morgan Stanley upgrades Reliance Communications Ltd to "equal-weight" from "underweight," citing improving outlook for the telecoms sector due to higher tariffs, falling capex, and "more attractive" valuations. ...
11:00 AM, Mar 26, 2013
Former Telecom Minister A Raja has told a Joint Parliamentary Committee that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was fully aware of telecom policy decisions and has accused Attorney General GE Vahanvati of telling a "series of untruths" against him. Responding to a questionnaire sent by the committee, Raja said both Prime Minister and the then External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee were kept informed on the licensing policy. ...
02:18 PM, Mar 24, 2013
