The telecom sector is buzzing again. Since the cancellation of 122 licences by the Supreme Court, minister Kapil Sibal has announced the broad direction of the telecom policy. Telecom regulator Trai will soon come up with recommendations on the reserve price for 2G spectrum auction.

In the policy, Sibal has delinked licensing and spectrum; announced a uniform licence fee of 8 per cent across the 22 circles; paved the way for consolidation by allowing companies with up to 35 per cent market share to merge. The policy also allows sharing of 2G spectrum (it is not allowed in 3G). He has also hiked the prescribed spectrum limit in circles to 8MHz from 6.2 MHz; and to 10 MHz in Delhi and Mumbai.

Hopefully, the initiatives would bring some sanity to the sector, which has been besieged by controversy for almost three years. Contentious issues like the norms for renewal of licences are yet to be clarified.

STRICTLY BUSINESS

The US has commissioned its first new nuclear reactor in 30 years. Georgia-based Southern Company has got the approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for two 1,100-MW nuclear power units at its Vogtle plant.

(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 27-02-2012)