The date for submission of views by the industry on a consultation paper for reviewing key license conditions and capping the number of access providers has been extended by the Telecom regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. TRAI said that service providers could now submit their comments by July 6.
The consultation paper - 'Review of license terms and condition and capping number of access providers' – was floated by the regulator on June 12, with a view to start the second phase of telecom reforms.
The paper had sought comments on the issue of allowing operators to offer services under the same license using a combination of technology, limiting the number of companies in each area, mergers, acquisitions and roll out obligations.
According to the existing regime, M&As as well as transfer of license are permitted subject to conditions. The other main issues raised in the paper are associated with defining markets, criteria for determining dominance or market power, maximum spectrum holdings for a merged entity, cross- technology mergers and minimum number of access providers in a service area as a result of mergers and acquisitions.