EGoM defers decision on spectrum refarming

19 Oct 2012 Evaluate

Amid wide protests for the spectrum refarming, which has reappeared this week in India’s telecom radar after a brief lull the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on spectrum pricing has deferred the decision to refarm spectrum, by reasoning lack of time and urged operators to vacate the 900 MHz spectrum for the less-efficient 1800 MHz airwaves.

The ministerial group has decided to levy a one-time fee to be calculated from 2008 from companies that hold spectrum beyond 6.2 MHz. The centre will procure about Rs 10,000 crore from this plan. Other than the private telecom giants Airtel and Vodafone, state-owned MTNL and BSNL will also get impacted. The telecom minister Kapil Sibal has indicated that the decision on the refarming issue is likely to be taken a week prior to the start of the auction. While Centre has strongly suggested that the prices should not reflect the new demand conditions for the prized spectrum and urged to price on the basis of the November 2012 auctions.

Even though, the telecom operators  have come up with opposition to this as they argue that it will cost them more than Rs 1,00,000 crore each to reinstall 900 MHz band, as also building more mobile masts and replacing some of the existing gears for ensuring continuous services.

However, the ministerial group has given off to its earlier decision to levy about Rs 27,000 crore surcharges on the 2G spectrum held by existing operators. The panel has recommended that the GSM-based telecom companies are to pay for airwaves beyond 4.4 MHz at the auction-determined price, while CDMA carriers pay for holdings beyond 2.5 MHz Hence, the telecom firms, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular, Reliance Communications and others, might have to pay about Rs 27,517 crore. Out of this, GSM players would be levied with Rs 18,000 crore and CDMA operators Rs 9,500 crore.

© 2026 The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. MoneyWorks4Me ® is a registered trademark of The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd.

×