DoT likely to come up with M&A, spectrum-sharing rules by Oct

New Delhi: The DoT will come up with the guidelines on telecom M&As and spectrum-sharing by end of October, sources said.

Earlier, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had decided to issue these guidelines by June but now these guidelines will be floated by October end, sources added.

Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal in February has announced a liberal merger and acquisition regime in the sector allowing up to 35 percent market share for the merged entity.

The government had decided to allow telecom operators share spectrum for services but total total quantum of spectrum, as a result of the spectrum sharing, should not exceed the limit prescribed in case of mergers of licences.

In those guidelines, the government had barred leasing of spectrum, sharing among 3G spectrum holder and trading of spectrum. Decision on matters related to pricing of spectrum post-sharing, were to be taken separately.

The government had also put a cap of 25 percent on GSM spectrum that resultant company can have in a service area and limit of 10 Mhz in case of CDMA services.

PTI