EGoM to discuss roadmap for unsold telecom spectrum tomorrow

The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on telecom, will hold discussions tomorrow on working out a roadmap for spectrum that was unsold in the recent auction.

The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on telecom, will hold discussions on Friday on working out a roadmap for spectrum that was unsold in the recent auction.

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The high-powered panel, headed by finance minister P Chidambaram, which was to discuss the roadmap for auction of unsold GSM spectrum in Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan and Karnataka, has already been deferred twice last month.

The EGoM has to take a decision on the reserve price that should be fixed for these service areas. It also has to decide on CDMA spectrum which had no takers.

There were no takers for spectrum in these four circles mainly on account of the high reserve price.

The auction of GSM spectrum attracted bids worth only Rs 9,407 crore, as against minimum expected amount of Rs 28,000 crore.

The high-powered panel will also take a final call on a department of telecommunications' (DoT) proposal to conduct auction of 900 Mhz band in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata along with 1800 Mhz band.

Telecom operators prefer 900 Mhz band as they need to deploy lower number of telecom towers compared to that in 1800 Mhz band.