Reuters | March 10, 2011 | Devidutta Tripathy
* Notices sent to Etisalat DB for two zones and Idea for one
(Adds Etisalat statement)
NEW DELHI, March 10 (Reuters) – India’s telecoms ministry has asked Etisalat’s (ETEL.AD) Indian mobile joint venture and Idea Cellular (IDEA.BO) to respond to the government on proposals to cancel some licences for failing to meet network rollout requirements.
Telecoms Secretary R. Chandrashekhar told Reuters the government had issued notices to the two companies asking them to explain within 60 days why their licences should not be cancelled.
Etisalat DB has been asked to defend its licences in Delhi and Mumbai service areas, while Idea will have to defend its licence in the Punjab service area, Chandrashekhar said.
Etisalat DB confirmed it had received “show cause” notices from the telecoms ministry.
The company said it would respond within the 60-day period and would clarify that it had already rolled out commercial operations in all its 15 service areas.
……
