Will India's 3G auction ever happen? Auction postponed

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Will India's 3G auction ever happen? Auction postponed
Bangalore: Further delaying the process of implementation of third-generation (3G) radio spectrum in India, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced that the 3G auction will begin on January 14, 2010 instead of December 7, 2009. The auction that was initially scheduled to be held in January this year was postponed as the country's Finance and Communications Ministries could not agree on a minimum price for the licenses. The Minister of Communications A. Raja said earlier this month that the auction would surely be completed before March 31, 2010. The base price for 3G spectrum is set at 350 crore and Raja has said that the government is expected to fetch about 2500 crore from the sale. The 3G auction, which is proposed to be an electronic auction over the internet, will also allow foreign bidders. The last date for submitting the bid is 21 December, 2009 and the list of those who are eligible to bid will be announced on 7 January, 2010. The DOT announced new auction terms even as key DOT officials and some private companies are under investigation from the country's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for alleged irregularities in the allocation of 2G licenses. The officials are being investigated for handing out 2G licenses at very low prices to operators on a first-come-first-serve basis, rather than through an auction as it was recommended by the country's telecom regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). An auction of licenses for operating broadband wireless services like Wimax will also be held two days after the 3G auction, the DOT said. The government will also auction on the same day the spectrum for enhanced CDMA (code division multiple access) services to existing CDMA licensees.

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