BSNL, MTNL have not sought exemption from 3G spectrum fee

NEW DELHI: State-run telecom firms BSNL and MTNL today said they have not sought exemption from payment for 3G spectrum auction fees.

"We have not sought any exemption from the Department of Telecom (DOT) to pay for 3G licence spectrum fee. We have sufficient reserves. We don't need to seek such an exemption. The payment is amortised over 20 years," BSNL Chairman Kuldip Goyal told reporters here.

MTNL's CMD Kuldeep Singh said the payment for 3G spectrum auction licence fee is amortised over 20 years and "I think we can generate enough demand over the period to pay for the amount." MTNL has a cash balance of Rs 5,000 crore.

Both MTNL and BSNL face a payment of about Rs 16,500 crore for 3G spectrum auction licence fee. Of the total Rs 6,500 belongs to MTNL and the rest to BSNL.