The much-awaited 3G spectrum is likely to be set back by at least a few weeks as DoT has not received sanction from Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) over it.

According to senior DoT officials, earlier, the government has announced 16 January as the date for auctioning of 3G spectrum.

The sources said that the DoT had decided to take Cabinet's permission on higher 3G spectrum charge and number of blocks to be auctioned in order to avoid any controversies in the coming future especially on the back drop of criticism it faced over its 2G policy decisions for new operators.

Sources further revealed that in case the sanction was delayed beyond January 2009 the entire process of auctioning of 3G spectrum and high tech mobile services may get derailed as the government may get into general election mode.