For the private operators, the government has referred the issue of 3G spectrum auction to a Group of Ministers in view of inter-ministerial differences over the reserve price. The Department of Telecom (DoT) had earlier announced a reserve price of Rs 2,020 crore for pan-India 3G spectrum but later the Finance Ministry proposed doubling it.
The DoT later took the matter to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), which referred it to the GoM, which is yet to meet for the first time. The 3G mobile services would be made available on commercial basis from April 20 this year in Tamil Nadu, BSNL CMD Kuldip Goyal said.
Goyal said 3G services customers would have three monthly subscription options of Rs 350, Rs 650 and Rs 1,350. Apart from this, customers would also get the 3G services through a bundle offer.
Goyal said the subscribers would be offered a plethora of services like live TV, high-speed mobile broadband and movie download through 3G services.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi marked the formal nationwide launch by making the first video call to Union Communication and IT Minister A Raja. The 85-year old DMK president, who is convalescing at a hospital here after a spine surgery, launched the services through video conferencing.
Lauding Raja, who belongs to the DMK, for unveiling the 3G services from Chennai, Karunanidhi said he was happy to note that BSNL was launching the technology, which so far was available in developed nations in the country.
Later speaking to reporters, Raja said the 3G services would be launched in 13 more cities —Lucknow, Agra, Ambala, Dehradun, Jammu, Shimla, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Patna, Durgapur, Haldia, Ranchi and Bhubaneshwar — by this month-end.
Goyal said that of nearly five million subscribers base for BSNL, five per cent would migrate to 3G service.
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