Call rates News

Government bonds (G-Secs) declined on selling pressure from banks and corporates and the Interbank call rates also turned lower due to lack of demand from borrowing banks amidst ample liquidity situation in the banking system.

The Union Cabinet has cleared liberalisation of spectrum - allocated without auction to telecom companies - at Trai recommended price with the balance being collected after deriving market rate through bidding.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the modifications in the policy for liberalisation of administratively allotted spectrum where market determined prices were not available.

Telecom operators MTS India and Tata Teleservices Sunday said they have slashed charges for calls made to earthquake-hit Nepal to support disaster relief efforts.

There is a lot of load on telecom operators due to spectrum payment.

Shares of telecom companies Idea Cellular and Bharti Airtel on Thursday edged higher in an otherwise subdued market after the completion of spectrum auction.

Ideal Cellular, which provides mobile services using GSM technology, bid a maximum of Rs 30,306.98 crore to buy spectrum in the 900 megahertz, 1800 MHz and 2,100 MHz bands.

The Supreme Court has allowed the government to conclude the auction of telecom airwaves and collect initial payments from operators.

Government raised a record Rs 109,874 crore in the country's biggest and the fiercest auction of telecom spectrum.

Government raised a record Rs 109,874 crore in the country's biggest and the fiercest auction of telecom spectrum that ended Wednesday, triggering fears of hike in call and data rates.

Telecom companies BSNL, MTNL and Videocon are considering reducing call rates after telecom regulator TRAI cut down interconnection charges.

TRAI has also reduced network interconnection usage charges (IUC) on calls made from mobile phones by about 30 percent to 14 paise per call from 20 paise earlier.

Gaining confidence from TRAI Chairman's remark that mobile tariff may rise, telecom operator Reliance Communications Thursday said it is looking at reducing discounts on mobile services from about 25 percent at present to 15 percent soon.