Vodafone had participated in the1800 MHz auctions held in November 2012 and acquired spectrum in 14 service areas at an auction price of Rs 1,127.94 crore
BANGALORE, INDIA: Vodafone India (VIL) has approached Department of Telecom (DoT) expressing concern regarding the delay in allotment of spectrum. In a letter dated 29 January, 2013, (Click to read Vodafone’s letter to DoT), addressed to R Chandrashekhar, secretary, DoT, VIL stated that there is an undue delay in allocation of spectrum
Vodafone had participated in the1800 MHz auctions held in November 2012 and acquired spectrum in 14 service areas at an auction price of Rs 1,127.94 crore. As per the existing guidelines the VIL has made a payment of Rs 372.22cr under the deferred payment option route on 22, November, 2012 for the spectrum it had secured .
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VIL in its communication to the government says that despite the payments made, spectrum has not been physically allocated . The letter says “the reason for the delay in the allotment of spectrum is on account of the fact that it is still being used by operators whose licenses were cancelled vie the supreme court judgment dated February 2, 2012. For instance operators like Idea, Videocon, Uninor are on the same frequency band in circles like Assam, Haryana, J&K and Orissa which was awarded to Vodafone in the auctions held in November 2012″.
VIL has requested DoT through the letter that ” in context of, the pending allocation of spectrum and continued use of spectrum by other license operators, DoT may immediately clarify and confirm that the period of 20 years for which the right to use the spectrum has been acquired by the licensee through this auction will be reckoned from the date of actual allotment of the said spectrum”.
