India's Department of Telecom (DoT) has revised the timeline for the upcoming spectrum auctions and told the panel of ministers on spectrum that the information memorandum containing all details of the sale will be released on 22 August, reports The Economic Times. This will make it impossible for the government to meet the Supreme Court's deadline for reissuing these licences through a bidding process by 31 August. Last month, the empowered group of ministers overseeing the airwaves sale process approved a new timetable under which the information memorandum was slated to be released on 06 August. Revising this date to 22 August leaves the government with eight days to conduct the pre-bid conference, issue clarifications, invite applications for the sale process, check compliance and carry out the bidding process. The paper also reports that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India will make a presentation to the ministers on the estimated impact of higher spectrum costs on end-user tariffs, viability of mobile operators and government revenues. The regulator expects that a INR 0.08-0.10 per minute increase in call rates annually would help mobile companies offset the spectrum costs.
