Business: Oct 10, 2011

India plans to increase the availability of spectrum for operators and to "connect, share trading, and later," and the airwaves as the world's second largest mobile phone market, aims to increase broadband use.

Price set up the airwaves to "market" process, Kapil Sibal, India's telecoms minister told a news conference in New Delhi today. The government plans to conduct periodic audits of spectrum use by service providers, he said.

The proposal to change the rules for the first time in over a decade is in the middle allows the investigation of wireless in 2008, the nation's chief auditor said may have been as much as 1.4 trillion rupees ($ 29 billion) in government revenues. India's wireless market research firm Gartner Inc. predicts excess 872000000 active users by the end of 2014, compared with 601.7 million at the end of July.

The government proposes to set up Telecom Finance Corp. to finance projects, Sibal said. It also plans to "de-link" on the allocation of spectrum licenses, he said. India also proposes to formulate a "method exit" for service providers, Sibal said without elaboration.
Bharti Airtel gains

Shares in Bharti Airtel Ltd. (Bharti), India's largest wireless operator, rose 2.5 percent to 363.55 rupees at the end of trading in Mumbai. Reliance Communications Ltd. (RCOM) to 1.7 percent from 74.05 rupees and Idea Cellular Ltd. (IDEA), extended up to 2 percent of the 92.1 rupees.

The new rules may be "permanently" by 31st December, Sibal said. India, the world's largest wireless market after China was 858000000 cell phone bill in late July, according to a phone regulator.

The government is cracking down on corruption after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised to punish anyone guilty of violation of the rules of sale of phone licenses. The auditor last year, said sales of the spectrum was "arbitrary, unfair and unjust."

Former Telecommunications Minister Andimuthu Raja, who is now on trial on charges he conspired to sell at below-market prices for permits, Kanimozhi, legislators, former bureaucrats and company officials in prison awaiting trial. Both Raja and Kanimozhi denied wrongdoing.
Studies

Indian investigators to search for homes and offices of former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, after submission of the case yesterday that he favors a phone operator license.

Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation conducted a search for Maran residences and jobs in the national capital New Delhi and the southern city of Chennai today, the CBI spokesman Dharini Mishra said by telephone. Maran, who has denied any wrongdoing, could not comment on his mobile phone.

The Supreme Court last month, the CBI said that it is investigating allegations that the license given to Maran Aircel Cellular Ltd. and its founder forced to sell its stake in Malaysia Maxis control group. Maran, who served as the telecommunications minister, Singh's office between 2004 and 2007, left his job as Minister of Textiles in July.

Raja, Maran and Kanimozhi members of Singh's second largest ally in the federal parliament, Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam party.