NEW DELHI: Telecom operators using
GSM technology have accused the government of queering the pitch by changing the rules midway, allowing
BWA players to offer voice services and alleged that the government was giving "undue benefit" to RIL.
While COAI said the "arbitrary change" will impact companies that went by the notice inviting applications (NIA) for BWA, the statement is surpri sing as the lobby group had welcomed the proposal when the Telecom Commission, the inter-ministerial panel, recommended the change. NIA was issued before the BWA spectrum auction in 2010. The telecom department refuted COAI's latest allegations saying the Telecom Commission chose to recommend allowing internet service providers with BWA spectrum to offer voice service after careful examination and on payment of Rs 1,658-crore licence fee.
Sources said the panel felt that barring a player that didn't have a unified access service licence from offering voice service for all time to come would not be fair, said an official. When the Telecom Commission had decided on the issue, COAI had welcomed the move saying it would create a level-playing field between GSM and BWA operators. "If they paid only Rs 15 crore, that would not have been a level-playing field. So, we opposed that. We will not come in their way now, as they, too, have to pay the same amount as we did for 2G li cences," COAI director general Rajan Mathews was quoted as saying on February 19.
Contacted on Tuesday evening, Mathews said the lobby group wanted BWA operators to pay Rs 1,658 crore so that they were at par with 2G players, but didn't want them to offer voice as the NIA did not provide for it. The government accused GSM players of trying to block competition by changing its stance.
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