Indian 3G auction process to start from this week

I know you’ve heard this lot of times before but this time it’s real. The first step towards the delayed 3G auction process is expected to start by end of this week when the ministry will issue Notice Inviting Application (NIA), the policy guidelines for 3G auction.

NIA is the preliminary step and contrary to government’s wishes of completing the actual auction process by this fiscal end, it will be completed by May.

“The auction would begin 40- 45 days from the date of issuing NIA. This means that the auction will probably be completed by May,” said A Raja.

The 3G auction process has been delayed for some reason or the other but this time the government is more confident of moving forward since Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee stepped in and agreed to a MoU with the armed forces to vacate the 3G spectrum in lieu of optic-fibre network for defence communications.

[Via TheHindu]

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