Vodafone writes to PC on spectrum pricing

Amid tussle over spectrum pricing between the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Vodafone India has written to Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, offering to pay Rs.4,000 crore at three per cent spectrum usage charges (SUC) for extension of its existing licences for Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata service areas for 20 years. "The existing 900 MHz being used by operators should not be auctioned. Instead, a reasonable price for its extension should be set after mutual discussions," the country's second largest mobile operator said in a statement. In its letter to Mr. Chidambaram, who also heads the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on telecom, Vodafone India has noted that "the reserve price of 1800 MHz spectrum (to be auctioned as per the Supreme Court order) as recommended by TRAI was still on the higher side. Further increase in the reserve price of spectrum for Metro and Category A service areas by the Telecom

RAJ KISHORE SHARMA

PGDM 1ST YR