PM clears air over 3G spectrum auction

PM Manmohan Singh cleared the cloud of uncertainty over the auction of 3G licences.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cleared the cloud of uncertainty over the auction of 3G licences,saying air waves for starting the third generation telephony service would be sold shortly at market determined prices.

“I am happy that auction of spectrum for 3G and broadband wireless services will be conducted shortly. In a reform initiative,the government has decided that this spectrum will be allocated at market determined prices rather than administered one,” he said at a telecom conference.

Auction of 3G spectrum (air waves) is slated to commence on January 14,but has been plagued by differences between Defence and Telecom Ministries over vacation of spectrum for civilian use.

He also predicted that India,which already has nearly 488 million mobile users and adds about 15-16 million users a month,could witness robust growth in the sector given the fact that the economic downturn is showing signs of moderation.

Tags:
Manmohan Singh

Why TikTok escaped Nepal’s social media ban and the list of sites that went dark

World40 min ago

Nepal has imposed strict internet restrictions, blocking access to over two dozen social media platforms for failing to register with authorities. This sparked protests by young people, leading to a curfew and deployment of the army. TikTok was the only major platform still accessible, having complied with registration and government oversight.

View all shorts

Live Blog