After a lot of brainstorming, the Telecom regulator, TRAI is understood to have taken a decision to recommend auction of spectrum for the launch of next generation (3G) mobile services and is in process to make recommendations on how to allocate spectrum to mobile operators for 3G services.

If these recommendations were considered by DoT then mobile operators, having pan-India presence, stand good chance to get the permission and the required spectrum to start 3G services. Currently Bharti, Hutch, Reliance, Tatas and BSNL are the major five operators who have country-wide presence of mobile services. Among these Reliance and Tata are offering CDMA based mobile services while other operate in GSM technology.