EGoM on spectrum auction defers decision to January 7

An empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on telecom on Thursday deliberated upon several issues regarding spectrum auction due this financial year but deferred decision till January 7.

The EGoM deliberated on 1,800/ 900 MHz spectrum but it could not discuss CDMA (800 MHz). Auction does not seem possible by January 18 but will take place during this financial year, a source said.

"The EGoM deliberated on several issues for about two hours, then decided to meet again on January 7 to further deliberate on the issues," telecom minister Kapil Sibal told reporters in New Delhi.

Telecom companies whose licences have been cancelled by the Supreme Court order are allowed to offer services till January 18.

The EGoM discussed the auction plan, prepared by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), after the Cabinet approved the sale of unsold GSM spectrum in 1,800 MHz band and in the premium 900 MHz band.

The government is preparing fresh plans to auction radiowaves that can fetch around Rs 39,895 crore.

According to the proposal, the government could get around Rs 25,316 crore from the auction in the 900 MHz band, and Rs 14,579 crore from the unsold spectrum in the 1800 MHz band.

DoT may sell more spectrum in Delhi, Mumbai, Karnataka and Rajasthan in the 1,800 Mhz band compared to the quantum it had earlier put up for an auction that ended on November 14, 2012.

With inputs from PTI