Spectrum for new licensed entrants, rules TDSAT

NEW DELHI, INDIA: A few hours after prime minister Manmohan Singh assured telecom operators of an early solution in the spectrum issue, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) today ruled that start-up spectrum will have to be allocated for new licensed entrants.

The TDSAT said that 4.4 MHz of initial start-up spectrum should be allocated for the new licensed operators for commencement of service at the earliest.

However, the tribunal did not specify a time-line. The allocation of start-up spectrum will also apply to operators who have received licenses but have not started rolling out their services.

On the additional spectrum for existing operators, the tribunal said that once the telecom panel submits its report on additional spectrum it will be taken-up in the next hearing scheduled on January 9, 2008. The telecom panel is likely to submit its report on the issue within a week’s time.

The ruling assumes significance after Bharti Airtel writing to the telecom secretary, D S Mathur offering Rs 1000 crore over and above the reserve price. The stand will mean that new licensed entrants such as Reliance Communications will be benefited, apart from those existing operators such as Idea and Vodafone who have licenses for other circles but have not started their operations due to lack of spectrum.