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 Department of Space and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The committee preferred to include members from these ministries before finalising report. Telecom Minister has approved proposal," sources said. This committee has been given task to examine conditions which need to be satisfied in order to adopt auction as preferred or the only mode of allocating spectrum. It is also studying conditions for which administrative allotment of spectrum should be treated as norm.
In addition, the panel has to look in to the condition for allocating spectrum to telecom companies during their licence period, sources said. The Minister has also asked the panel that "guidelines for migration to UL (Unified Licences) may also be finalised in the next one month", sources said. As per National Telecom Policy 2012, existing telecom companies will have option to migrate to Unified Licences, which is more liberal for business compared to their present licences.
The last spectrum allocation through administrative process for mobile telephony was done in 2009. It was put on hold after Supreme Court judgement of February 2, 2012 which cancelled 122 2G telecom licences and asked government to allocate the spectrum through auction.
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