Sibal favours audit of spectrum, asks telcos to collaborate

Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday said he is in favour of the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) proposal to conduct an audit of the total available spectrum in the country with a focus on how much was allocated to private operators from 2000 onward and at what cost.

Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday said he is in favour of the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) proposal to conduct an audit of the total available spectrum in the country with a focus on how much was allocated to private operators from 2000 onward and at what cost.

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"We support spectrum sharing and audit," Sibal said at the 83rd FICCI Annual General Meeting.

According to reports, CAG has sought details from the Department of Telecom (DoT) on the total available spectrum in the country and how much has been allocated to private telecom operators from 2000 onward and at what value.

The DoT is also conducting a study on the availability of spectrum and the quantum of allocations made till date to various operators and government agencies.

Referring to the tussle between operators on spectrum allocation, Sibal was of the view that instead of exchanging heated words, the telcos should instead work together for further growth of the sector.

"There should be corporate collaboration, not corporate rivalry," he said.