 "DoT Starts 3G Auction Process With Pre-Bid Conference")
The Department of Telecom will kick start the process for 3G mobile services tomorrow as it holds a pre-bid conference for both Indian and foreign companies to conduct the auctioning of spectrum in 22 telecom service areas.
Issuing the Request for Proposal (RFP), the DoT has convened a pre-bid conference today and will open the financial bids, of those who qualify technically and meet all the criteria for selection, on September 30 this year.
The eligible candidates would have to submit technical and financial bids by September 22.
As per the eligibility criteria, the bidder shall not have any equity directly or indirectly in any telecom or Internet service providers in India. Similarly, any telecom company or ISP shall not have any stake in the bidder company.
DoT’s decision to hold a pre-bid conference comes amid a tussle between the ministries of finance and telecom over the guidelines of 3G mobile services and both have exchanged communications in this regard.
Last month, Communication and IT minister A Raja had asserted that the ministry of Finance was consulted on all the financial implications relating to 3G spectrum pricing and they (the finance ministry) have also nominated their representative in the joint committee, which would oversee the auctioning of radio frequency.
Raja had said there would be ’no deviation’ in the schedule for auction of spectrum and roll out of services. (PTI)