Spectrum

The government is not sure if it can conduct a 3G wireless spectrum auction before the end of the current fiscal year, the finance secretary said on Tuesday, which could

In a surprise move, the government has postponed to the next fiscal auction of spectrum for 3G telephony which was expected to bring in Rs 35,000 crore to the exchequer.

The government is learnt to have decided to allow only three private players to offer 3G mobile services for which the spectrum would be auctioned next month and the successful bidders would be asked to pay 100 per cent of the bidding amount in March this year.

Spectrum crunch may force the government to allow only three private operators to offer 3G services in a circle and said that successful bidders will have to make 100 per cent payment by March 10.

The government is planning to auction third-generation wireless radio spectrum by mid-February, about a month later than had been scheduled, a senior government official told Reuters on Thursday.

"January 25

In a surprise move that could deprive it of over Rs 5,000 crore in revenue, the government has said the 3G telephony spectrum available with it for sale currently could accommodate only three operators.