DoT says it is waiting for Qualcomm's reply on licence cancellation

NEW DELHI The telecom department has asked for a response from chipmaker Qualcomm after it sent notice rejecting its application for licences to offer broadband in four Indian service areas, a senior official said. “Every action and every step has to be taken with reference to NIA ( Notice Inviting Application).

Decision has been conveyed to them (Qualcomm). We will have to see what their is response,” DoT secretary R Chandrashekhar said at an event on Tuesday. Last week, Qualcomm said it received DoT’s letter rejecting its application because the company missed the deadline and a licence can only be given to one company not to four separate subsidiaries as the company has applied.

Qualcomm added the reason for rejection of the permit was unwarranted. “We received a notice from the DoT on September 21, 2011, informing us that the licence to the companies formed with our Indian partners, for use of the spectrum Qualcomm won at last year’s auction, has been rejected on grounds that we find to be baseless,” the company had said.

Qualcomm maintained that it had complied with all procedures while applying for the permits and would look for ways to find a solution to the problem.