2G: No one-time fee, say licensees

The contentious issue of imposition of a one-time fee on companies holding second generation airwaves (2G spectrum) in excess of 6.2 MHz has come to the fore again with the CDMA telecom services lobby on Wednesday urging the Centre not to reverse the Full Telecom Commission decision to levy spectrum charges with retrospective effect.

The Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India, in a letter to Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, has contended that any decision contrary to the recommendations of Telecom Commission would cost the exchequer more than Rs 20,000 crore loss.

Besides, a reversal would be against the spirit of the Commission and illegal, making CDMA and GSM players unequal and denying them a level playing field, said the letter.

The Telecom Commission, the highest decision making body of the Department of Telecom in December 2011, had cleared the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India suggestion that telecom companies should be charged retrospectively for 2G holdings beyond 6.2 MHz.