DoT discusses network roll-out issues with Airtel, Vodafone, Uninor, MTS

NEW DELHI: A day after the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) deferred a decision on network roll-out obligations, the Department of Telecom on Friday discussed the issue with leading telecom operators like Airtel, Vodafone, Uninor and MTS.

According to official sources, "EGoM wanted that we should look at possibility of enhanced roll-out obligation. EGoM wants operators should cover 20 per cent of block level headquarters by the end of second year and 30 per cent by third year."

Operators have been asked to submit their views by tomorrow afternoon, the sources added.

Telecom companies, whose licences were cancelled, have been opposing network roll-out condition recommended by Trai and this issue was one of the agendas for EGoM meeting held yesterday. However, the EGoM deferred decision on network roll-out obligations.

Today's meeting was attended by Uninor Managing Director Sigve Brekke, MTS India President and CEO Vsevolod Rozanov, Vodafone India Resident Director T V Ramachandran, and representatives from Airtel, Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications, they added.