Tele Comm unlikely to take spectrum re-farming call today

The Telecom Commission will meeting later today on spectrum re-farming. While the commission is unlikely to take a final call on re-farming in today's meeting, the internal committee formed by the Department of Telecom (DoT) will be discuss issues pertaining to re-farming, reports Malvika Jain of CNBC-TV18.

The DoT has set up an internal committee headed by the member of technology to look into the clarification on spectrum re-farming which was submitted by the TRAI on Tuesday.
This panel has been asked to look into four aspects, first, asses the clarifications which have come in. Second, consider industry representations on the matter of re-farming. Third, assess the pros and cons of re-farming and fourth, considering what should be the modalities of re-framing going ahead.
The telecom commission in its last meeting had decided to re-farm the entire 900 MHz spectrum which is held by incumbent telecom players.
Kapil Sibal, telecom minister, today said that the decision has not yet been taken. We are in the process of analysing all the issues that has been raised on re-farming to come to an appropriate decision that is fair, just and reasonable. We will take into account the multifarious view points of various stake holders in the business before we come to a decision and the decision will be communicated to all very shortly, as it will happen before the auction takes place.
These comments made by the telecom minister are extremely crucial as they come in the backdrop of a letter of caution which is written by spectrum EGoM member Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
Industry representatives like Anil Ambani also wrote to the government and highlighted the issue of re-framing. It is also known that incumbent telecom players are also raising the issue that spectrum should not be re-framed.
There are chances that no decision will be taken by the telecom commission as they may wait for the DoT’s internal committee recommendations before arriving at a final conclusion.