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After successful completion of 3G spectrum auction, the Centre is planning to give radiowaves to private operators from next month, Union Minister of State for Communications and IT Sachin Pilot told journalists here on Friday.

He also said a mechanism to tackle the menace of unsolicited telemarketing calls and SMS would be put in place.

“After September 1, 2010, 3G spectrum allocation will take place and services will be rolled out thereafter,” Mr. Pilot said, trying to allay fears of industry as well as telecom users regarding reports the defence establishment was yet to vacate spectrum. Notably, the government had fetched over Rs.67,000 crore in a fiercely contested 3G spectrum auction. As many as seven operators, including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Tata Tele and RCom have bagged 3G spectrum.

Referring to the problem of unsolicited calls and SMS by telemarketers, Mr. Pilot said in India it has become a menace, while it does not happen anywhere in the world. “Telecom operators and service providers had been categorically asked to stop the increasing menace of sending unsolicited calls and SMS. Department of Telecommunications and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) have already held necessary consultations to put a complete ban to such calls,” he said. TRAI had already floated a consultation paper on curbing such commercial calls and messages in May this year.The government has granted permission to state run Telco BSNL for import of telecom equipment from any country across the world. The minister of State for communication and IT Sachin Pilot on Thursday informed Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question.

In his answer, Pilot said IT sector is growing like leaps and bounds considering which we must possess the best equipment in the industry. We want to provide similar opportunities to everyone in this sector. Thus, BSNL has been given the permission to import the best telecom equipment from any country.

Pilot replying to another question of T. Subbirami Reddy said there is no dearth of importers of telecom equipment. But, in the process of receiving tools from foreign exporters, to get rid off security concerns, amendments were done in Unified access services (USA), Cellular Mobile Telephone Services (CMTS), Basic Services License Agreements in consultation with Home Ministry. Also, a blueprint of agreement between telecom equipment providers and Telecom service operators was released on 28 July 2010.

The minister also informed that our Telecom related policies are not centric to a particular country. We want to offer equal opportunities to every nation. He said that there is a condition of liability of security management of network for the providers in the amendments of license agreement. The providers will be solely responsible for the security concerns.

He said, according to the issued guidelines on 28th July 2010, some Chinese Telecom exporter have signed deals with telecom service providers. He said that these guidelines of agreement have been prepared after consulting with technical experts from telecom sector. The agreement also constitutes a condition which says that Network Audit and certification will be done necessarily by a third party.

Pilot replying to a query by BJP’s Venkaiyyah Naidu said that 18 companies have been identified for the audit from third party and the license holder has the right to include or deny among these companies.

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This post was submitted by rishi maurya.