By August this year (2009), the mobile phone users will not have to get through the bothersome routine of updating every person regarding a number change in case they want to switch their service provider.

Mr. A Raja, Union Communications and IT Minister, has announced that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has decided to launch Mobile Number Portability (MNP) in India by August 2009.

Initially, the service will be introduced in the major cities, followed by other cities by the end of this year.

Much awaited 3G spectrum auction, a move to usher India in high speed Internet and mobile utility, is likely to be completed before the end of current financial year after the final decision of the Empowered Group of Ministers.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of Indian is in favor of market-based determination of prices of 2G licenses. The statement from the regulatory body came after the criticism of the union minister for Communication and IT, Mr A. Raja, on the issue of allotting spectrum without auction.

The chairman of TRAI, Nripendra Mishra said that the license should be allotted on the basis of the prevailing market prices. There is a need to develop a mechanism to capture the market prices for the license, for the maximum earning of state exchequer and bring more transparency in the system. He disclosed that the government had not asked for its views on spectrum allocation.

The union minister for Communications and Information Technology, A. Raja ruled out any anomaly in 2G spectrum allocation. He said that charges of corruption and favoritism in spectrum allocation are baseless and politically motivated. The entire spectrum allocation is done on the basis of recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and governmnet is ready to enquire the matter. The 2G spectrum allocation decision is taken after consultation with Ministries of Company Affairs and Law. Raje said that some people intend to malign his image to get political gain in forthcoming general elections.

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.

Union IT and Communications Minister, A. Raja announced that under the rural broadband project by 2012, all Gram Panchayats, Government High Secondary Schools and Public Health Centres will be provided broadband connectivity.

Speaking at the National Round Table Conference on ‘Telecom Sector in Education Development’, the minister said that funds from USO are being extensively deployed to increase broadband connectivity at each block and village level.