Government to release 3G spectrum; plans number portability trials

Mumbai: The government will auction spectrum for 3G mobile phone services and plans to introduce number portability shortly on a trial basis in four cities, the telecoms minister A Raja said.

"The government has decided to introduce number portability keeping the view the interest of the customers," he said.

The telecom tribunal, however, directed the government not to issue fresh spectrum to wireless firms until mid-December as it considers opposition to proposed new rule changes.

In October, the government accepted the regulator''s recommendations to hike the minimum number of subscribers needed for additional allocation, and to allow operators to provide services on both major platforms - GSM and CDMA - and later set up a committee to agree on changes.

The panel is due to submit its report in three weeks.

But the government is now being challenged at the tribunal by a lobby group representing firms on the dominant GSM platform, which say the proposals are arbitrary and violate licensing agreements.

The next tribunal hearing is on Dec. 12, and the government said it would not act on the committee''s report until then.