New Delhi, Nov 7 : Union Minister of Communications and IT A. Raja reiterated on Friday that India will allocate spectrum for next generation wireless networks as planned earlier.

Successful bidders would be allocated the spectrum by the end of January after holding an auction, the Minister said.

The decision is likely to affect all leading telecom operators.

According to reports, India expects to earn 40-50 billion rupees in revenues annually from a higher spectrum fee to be levied on mobile telecom.

Official sources had earlier in the week confirmed that India will charge a fee of 1-2 per cent of mobile operators'' revenue for using additional airwaves and will also levy a one-time charge for spectrum beyond 6.2 MHz.

“Some of the circles were not existing…new players, some of the circles, we are relocating the spectrum scientifically. I do hope some more circles allocated by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) by relocating something else. After finishing this, in anticipation of the new spectrum is going to be released that too if Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommends, there and then you have to consult me in terms of new applicants. So, let us clear this spectrum for all 22 circles for all persons who have got license now, thereafter... is going to release the spectrum... then the remaining applications will be definitely considered,” Raja told reporters in New Delhi.

He dismissed all rumours and said that many distorted versions were being circulated owing to vested interests.

“I clarified, the spectrum band which was actioned (put into action) in the USA which gave huge money for the Americans, USA is not at all 2G, its 3G plus, I clarified further such a band is going to be actioned here also. So, all their confusions, with due respect to political parties who raised these issues and the press fraternity, these types of confusions came out of lack of knowledge, something it was built up later with vested political motivation, reasons best known to them.”

In August, the government had outlined guidelines for a global auction of radio spectrum for third-and fourth-generation (3G and 4G) wireless services, from which it hoped to raise up to 400 billion rupees. (ANI)