Telecom: Last mile run still continues

‘‘A consultation process will be launched next week to explore if the rural last mile can be unbundled,’’ said Telecom Secretary Dr J.S. Sarma at a Ficci seminar.

He said a group of Department of Telecom (DoT) experts will consider the pros and cons of unbundling, and of involving private players in the consultation.

Private players are keen to access the local infrastructure of incumbents BSNL and MTNL, but the process faces many hurdles, including reluctant PSUs.

‘‘If the copper-based last mile is not unbundled, it forces the arm of private players to deploy wireless technologies to take voice and data to the consumers homes. This leads to duplication of technology and delays,’’ says Rakesh Bharti Mittal, co-Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises.

3G: Trai moots separate licences

NEW DELHI: The telecom regulator does not believe that the spectrum, or airwaves, to run high-end phone services can be auctioned in India. A lesser evil, Trai chairman Pradip Baijal said on Friday, is separate licences for 3G. ‘‘If we auction spectrum it can create more problems than solve. 2G and FM radio auction experiences have not been good, and 2G licencees do not have much spectrum for growth,’’ he said.