The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) reportedly plans to launch a pre-consultation paper on framing an exit policy for mobile players.
According to Dr J.S. Sarma, chairman, TRAI, “I expect to issue pre-consultation paper on an exit policy by end-December.”
The exit policy is expected to permit new players, who wish to exit the Indian telecom industry, to surrender their spectrum and licences.
Under current licencing norms, there is no exit route offered to operators who have taken a telecom licence.
A pan-India operator currently has to pay Rs 16.50 billion for a licence, but has no option to surrender it, along with the start-up spectrum of 4.4 Mhz, with no clause to get their money back from the government.
