The Supreme Court has cleared the way for Sistema Shyam Teleservices (SSTL) to provide its services
in eight telecom circles in which it was the lone bidder for the 800 MHz spectrum.
SSTL's counsel Vikas Singh said the company participated in the second round of fresh auction after the Department of Telecommunication reduced the reserved price.
"The applicant (SSTL) is entitled to continue services in eight circles," a bench comprising justices G S Singhvi and K S Radhakrishnan said.
The apex court had on February 2, 2012, cancelled SSTL's 21 of the 22 licences for 2G spectrum.
SSTL was the lone bidder in Monday's auction and it
bid Rs 3,639 crore for eight circles in the 800 MHz spectrum range. The company said it won spectrum in 800 MHz band in Delhi, Kolkata, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh (West) and West Bengal.
With SSTL bidding for only eight circles, it will have to close operations in Mumbai, Maharashtra and UP East, where the company has over 15 lakh subscribers.
Sistema Shyam Teleservices is a joint venture of Russia's telecom giant Sistema and India's Shyam Teleservices.
The auction for 2G spectrum for GSM players held in November last year had fetched the government Rs 9,407 crore.
With inputs from PTI