(Indian) DoT seeks unlimited competition for cell firms
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
[ FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2002 12:32:49 AM ]
The Indian mobility scenario is all set for a big change. The department of telecommunications has initiated the process of allowing any number of operators to provide mobile telephony.
Yesterday, DoT sent a letter to the telecom regulatory authority of India seeking its opinion on this issue, said Pramod Mahajan, Union minister for communications and information technology, speaking at the launch of Tata's basic telephone services in Delhi.
This will be of great benefit to players like Reliance Infocomm and Tata Teleservices who have already set up sizeable telecom networks in the country.
If the government allows unlimited number of players in the field, then they can provide full mobile services by acquiring the mobility licences.
The licences are technology neutral. Therefore, they would be able to offer mobile services using their existing networks.
"We are surprised that open competition is present nowhere in the world because the spectrum is limited," said TV Ramachandran, director general, COAI.
Mr Mahajan also said, "it is subject to spectrum availability."
Earlier, Mr Mahajan had said that the DoT wanted to allow unlimited players in the field and the operators would have to acquire the licences by paying a fixed fee, obviously limited by the spectrum only.
He also sought to allay customer fears over WLL saying there was no restraint on basic telephone operators providing the services. I would launch Reliance Infocomm's WLL services later this month, he added. On the issue of limited mobility he said both old and new players seeking permission to start WLL operations will be allowed to so.
"The customers of WLL services need not worry. WLL policy is here to stay," he said.
When asked if the government was considering the issue of converged licence, he said nothing had come up on that front as of now.
On the WLL controversy, Mahajan said interconnect between WLL and cellular players was the basic right of consumers. It is being interpreted as government could intervene if the right is violated.
He pointed out that cellular operators were not at a loss as they had opted for the NTP99 package of migration which had mitigated much of their losses.
Referring to the recent Supreme Court judgement, he said limited mobility had not been stopped by Supreme Court. All players new and old seeking permission to start WLL operations will be allowed to do so.
The issue of losses, if any, has been left to the Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal to decide on.
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