The
CMDs of BSNL and MTNL have written letters to the Telecom Department requesting
the Government to bear the fee for retention of spectrum allocated to it
already, exceeding beyong 4.4 MHz. As per the recommendation of the meeting of EGoM (Empowered Group of Ministers headed by
the Finance Minister) held on 08.10.2012 BSNL and MTNL have to pay atleast Rs
6250 crore and 4640 crore respectively for the 2G spectrum they hold beyond 4.4. MHz. This amount is likely to increase in
case the price of the spectrum to be found in the auction to be held in November 2012 is more than the minimum
price decided by the Government. The private operators also have to pay the
amount for the spectrum they are holding beyond 4.4 MHz. This amount to be paid
for the spectrum is decided based on the remaining period of the license of the
concerned telecom companies.
Since Airtel, Vodafone and some other private
operators were given license in 1993/94/95 for mobile services, their license
period of 20 years would expire in 2013/14/15. But BSNL and MTNL were granted
license for mobile services only in the year 2000 and hence their license
period of 20 years will expire in 2020. Therefore the remaining license period
of BSNL and MTNL is more compared to Airtel, Vodafone etc and hence BSNL and
MTNL have to pay more amount than the privatee operators. This is discrimination,
since the private operators completed 15/16/17 years out of 20 years of their
icense period without any one time payment for spectrum and now they have to
pay the one time amount for the remaining one/two/three years of their license
period, whereas the BSNL and MTNL have completed only 12 years out of their 20
years license period and they have to pay thee one time amount for the
remaining 8 years of their license period. Thus the recommendation of the EGoM
is in favour of the private operators and against the BSNL and MTNL.
Citing
the fact that the BSNL and MTNL are already facing losses since 2009-10 and
hence they cannot pay the amount for the spectrum, the CMDs of these PSUs
requested the DoT to bear this amount for retention of spectrum. It appears the
Dot may recommend this to the Government.
But
the private operators are arguing that to see that there is level playing field
between all the telecom operators, the Goveernment should not ber the
spectrumamoun for BSNL and MTNL and they should be asked to pay. The private
operators are demanding that in case Government decides to bear the amount for
spectrum to BSNL and MTNL, the Government should bear the amount for spectrum for
the private telecom companies also.
But
where is the level playing field? The private operators were allowed to start
mobile services in 1993/94 whereas the PSUs were allowed only in 2000. Afteer
helping the private operators thus, the Government is trying to impose more burdens
on BSNL and MTNL compared to thee private operators.
Hence to protect the level playing field, the
BSNL and MTNL should be exempted from the one time payment for spectrum for the
remaining period of their license.
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