It was a good day for the CDMA players. The Government today informed the Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) that it would start allocating spectrum to new entrants, including Reliance Communications under the dual technology clause. TDSAT refused to stay the issuance of new licenses. Yesterday, the Department of Telecom (DoT) sought clarification from the applicants of letters of intent (LOIs). Appearing for DoT, Solicitor General G E Vahanvati told TDSAT that the Government would go ahead with the allotment of start-up spectrum to the new players. He also said that Tata Teleservices’ application for use of cross-over technology would be considered favourably. “We are going to allot the start-up spectrum. This would be maximum up to 6.2 Mhz,” he said. The move should help as many as 25 aspirants, including HFCL, S-Tel, HFCL, and Parsvnath. On Cellular Operators Association of India’s plea to stay the process of issuing new licenses, TDSAT chairman Arun Kumar said, “This is matter of pubic policy. I would not decide, let the Government decide on it.” The GSM lobby group also informed the Tribunal that it has boycotted the committee formed by DoT for reconsidering the Telecom Engineering Centre’s report. Justifying its stand to allocate license to RCom, the Solicitor General said, “Our concern is for maximum competition in this sector. So we are giving . there are operators having more than 10 Mhz spectrum. How should we give them more”.Earlier, COAI counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi had alleged that the Government’s decision was malafide and said it would challenge the report of a committee formed to review it. To this, the TDAST chairman said: “I find myself in a difficult situation in the face of this status. This committee consists of experts from IIT and other big names. why should I not let them (continue with their work)?”. Kumar directed DoT to file the report of the committee along with an affidavit. TDSAT also disposed off a petition filed by another GSM operator, Aircel, as it felt that the issue raised by the company was already addressed by the Government during the proceedings.
