New Delhi, Dec. 3: GSM telecom operators today refused to accept the subscriber requirements for extra spectrum, proposed by the regulator, in return for some relief.

The government is willing to give spectrum to GSM licence holders to start operations in new circles and auction 3G spectrum in tranches of 5MHz, provided they accept the subscriber requirements of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).

Officials of the department of telecom said the quid pro quo offer was made at the government-industry face-off today that was convened by telecom secretary D.S. Mathur.

Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal said GSM operators would not accept the Trai norms. “We have gone to court on that issue, so how can we accept it as a solution? It is up to the government to work out a solution that ensures level-playing field.”

Mittal said the government had not proposed any peace formula.

The officials said the DoT had proposed to grant 4.4 MHz of spectrum to operators such as Vodafone, Idea and Aircel to start operations in new circles.

However, these operators are demanding 6.2 MHz, the officials said.

The offer on 3G spectrum would have protected the operators from foreign competition. In addition, the government was willing to extend mobile portability to the whole of India and not confine it to the metros.

CDMA operators have no objections to the Trai norms on extra spectrum for GSM operators, though these may hurt their interests as they are less stringent than the norms proposed by the Telecom Engineering Centre.

In return, the CDMA operators, however, want the GSM camp to accept the government’s decision on dual technology.

Dual technology norms allow CDMA operators to provide GSM services and vice versa. However, the Cellular Operators Association of India, representing GSM interests, are opposed to any rapprochement. This is because if there is dual technology, the CDMA operators may get spectrum first.

Tariff move

Communications minister A. Raja today said the DoT had asked Trai to examine the validity of a tariff regulation.

“We have decided to refer the matter back to Trai to see whether tariffs need to be fixed,” Raja told the Lok Sabha today.