- Telecom Minister rules out govt relief for AGR dues beyond Vodafone Idea's case
- DoT will review TRAI recommendations before announcing spectrum auction timeline
- Satellite service launch depends on pricing and security compliance finalisation
Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Wednesday other telecom companies seeking relief from adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues must pursue legal avenues similar to Vodafone Idea Ltd., ruling out any measures from the government. "The Department of Telecommunications is acting in line with the Supreme Court verdict on AGR relief for Vodafone Idea. Any other telco who has desire for similar relief, can take same route," he told reporters.
The Union Cabinet last year approved a relief package for the debt-laden Vodafone Idea, freezing its Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues at Rs 87,695 crore, and rescheduling the payment from FY32 to FY41. Notably, the central government owns 49% equity in the troubled carrier.
Spectrum Auction, Satellite Internet
On the subject of spectrum auction timelines, the minister said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has submitted its recommendations, and the DoT will examine them. The department will issue its own recommendations covering various spectrum bands and reserve prices. Once these recommendations are evaluated, an official timeline for the auction will be announced, he said.
Scindia also expressed eagerness to launch satellite services in India and said the rollout depends on finalising the pricing mechanism for spectrum assignment and ensuring that all security compliances are met. Once these two requirements are fulfilled, spectrum can be allocated. He added that efforts are underway to finalise the spectrum assignment price at the earliest.
Companies such as Elon Musk-owned SpaceX and Bharti Airtel Ltd.'s OneWeb are planning to launch satellite internet services in the world's second largest market.
OTT SIM-Binding Norms
Scindia also clarified that there are no plans to extend the deadline for implementing SIM-binding norms for OTT communication platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram. These mandate six‑hour logout requirement for web sessions. He clarified that the logout mandate applies only to virtual connections and does not affect direct usage on mobile phones. Emphasising national security, Scindia noted that security concerns take precedence over any potential revenue implications.
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