Auction of spectrum for third-generation (3G) telecom and broadband wireless access (BWA) services edged closer with several aspirants submitting applications a day before the deadline.
More companies are expected to join the race on Friday.
Among those believed to have submitted applications are Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Vodafone Essar, Tata Teleservices, and Etisalat DB.
For BWA services, Qualcomm and Tikona have confirmed participation.
The 3G auction is slated to begin on April 9, and BWA bidding two days after the 3G process is completed.
Since the auction has been deferred so many times in recent years, there has been much apprehension over whether the bidding can be held as per schedule now.
Another concern expressed by analysts and observers was whether the government target of raising Rs 35,000 crore from the auction would be met especially as the economic slowdown is yet to die down completely.
But of late, many in the industry feel that the auction revenue would beat expectations as so many players are competing for so little spectrum, a scarce resource. Officials of the Department of Telecommunications, the administrative ministry for holding 3G and BWA auctions, were learnt to be in day-long meeting deliberating on the applications on Thursday.
More meetings are scheduled for Friday.
Comments