Pre-bid meet on 3G spectrum auction likely in October

The pre-bid conference with potential bidders for spectrum needed for rolling out next generation (3G) mobile services is likely to be held on October 10 or 12, the Telecom Minister A Raja said on Friday.

The meet would discuss the process and schedule of the auction of spectrum or radio frequency, to roll out 3G services that would allow data download on mobile phones at greater speed.

“The entire timetable has been given. All the officers in the Ministry are going for the IT conference in Geneva, so it has been postponed by one week. It may be on October 10 or 12,” he said. The government hopes to get about Rs 25,000 crore from the auction.

Spectrum auction would be held within 90 days from the date of announcement of the decision by the Empowered Group of Ministers, he said while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of ICT Event ‘Connect 2009’

A ministerial panel has fixed the 3G spectrum auction base price for an all-India license at Rs 3,500 crore and the number of slots at five including one PSU -- BSNL or MTNL.

On the listing of shares of BSNL, Raja said the consent of employees’ unions should be obtained before any decision was taken. “Before any decision on listing the company, I gave a categorical direction to the management board (of BSNL) that no decision should be taken unless the consent of Trade Unions has been taken care of.”