Telecom ministry for CAG audit of spectrum

The telecom ministry has favoured audit of spectrum, allocated to various agencies and companies, by the government auditor CAG to ensure that adequate spectrum was available.

"The fact of the matter is we need policies in place. There are no policies in place to ensure that spectrum is adequately and effectively used. There are no policies in place for audit for companies that actually buy spectrum. We must put in place (policies) to ensure that there is spectrum sharing, spectrum trading," Telecom minister Kapil Sibal said at the FICCI Annual General Meeting here.

According to sources, the CAG has sought details from the Department of Telecom (DoT) on the total available spectrum in the country and how much has been allocated to private telecom operators from 2000 onward and at what value.

The DoT is also conducting a study on the availability of spectrum and the quantum of allocations made till date to various operators and government agencies.

He further gave a message to the industry saying, "We (the government) want you to move forward but make sure... you allow yourself to access the opportunity that we (the government) are willing to provide to you (the Industry) and nothing should come for free. We should need a debate in the country on how the technology should be put in use in the context of reaching people and thats the delivery part of it."

Referring to the tussle between operators on spectrum allocation, he was of the view that instead of exchanging heated words, the telcos should instead work together for further growth of the sector.

"Why can't we have sharing of spectrum? It's all about partnership it's not about corporate war, it's all about corporate collaboration," Sibal added.

On the governance issue Sibal said that we need a policy framework in which we allow governance to take place.