The Telecom Commission will reportedly meet today to take a decision on several issues. It is believed that as per the 100-page agenda note for the Telecom Commission, DoT hopes that the Commission will reject the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India?s (TRAI) proposal to implement liberal merger and acquisition rules to ease the process of consolidation.
DoT feels that TRAI?s proposals may lead to a monopoly market situation and wants the market share ceiling of the combined entity to be fixed at 35 per cent.
The Telecom Commission has also been asked to accept the regulator’s proposal to impose a one-time fee on incumbent GSM operators on the excess spectrum held by them.
It has also been asked to approve DoT?s proposal that companies share 8 per cent of their annual revenues with the government, despite TRAI reiterating that this be reduced to 6 per cent.
This revenue share will also apply to tower companies that are currently not subject to any licence fee.
DoT has also sought the Telecom Commission’s approval to reintroduce the subscriber-linked methodology to award 2G spectrum to operators.
DoT has also informed the Telecom Commission that it favours TRAI?s suggestion to permit spectrum sharing with strict riders. DoT also supports the regulator’s stance to delink spectrum from licence when mobile permits are awarded in the future.
Additionally, DoT has also asked the Commission to reject TRAI?s plans to impose lower levies on operators for rolling out services in rural India. TRAI wanted the revenue share be reduced by 66 per cent if operators launch services in all villages with a population of over 500.
