Sibal asks telecom service providers to sink differences to ensure sectoral growth

Telecom minister Kapil Sibal today asked service providers to sink their differences as it could adversely impact the growth of the fast-growing sector.

In a meeting with various telecom operators, Sibal's discussions ranged from spectrum sharing, mergers and acquisitions to annual spectrum usage charges and rising disputes among telecom firms.

He told reporters in New Delhi that there were a range of issues on the table, given that TRAI had come out with its recommendations way back in May last year and then issued its latest recommendations on spectrum management in February 2011.

''I have urged the stakeholders that the captains of the industry must get together and iron out the differences among themselves because no industry can be robust if it is fractious,'' Sibal told reporters.

The ministers held consultations with stakeholders to evolve a clear and transparent regime that would include licensing, spectrum allocation and other issues in the telecom sector.

''By the end of this month, the minister has asked us to give our recommendations to sort out differences existing in the industry,'' Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) director Rajan S Mathew said.