The issue of determining rollout obligations continues.
Prior to this, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) was in the process of amending the rules pertaining to this subject. If implemented, these guidelines will be applicable for operators bagging licences in the forthcoming spectrum auction.
Currently, operators are required to cover a minimum of 10 per cent of the district headquarters within the first year of their license term and 50 per cent over three years.
According to an internal note circulated by DoT, the amended guidelines will require operators to cover 20 per cent of block headquarters in their circles within the first two years of obtaining a licence.
Subsequently, another 10 per cent of block headquarters will have to be covered in the third year. This proposal is aimed at increasing rural penetration of telecom services.
However, operators expressed their concerns over these recommendations, on grounds that they are too stringent.
Now, DoT is reportedly planning to hold discussions with various operators, including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India, Uninor and Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited to resolve the issue. Meanwhile, an Epowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) is yet to take a call on this subject.
