Unitech Wireless, a telecom venture of the realty major Unitech Group and Norway's telecom operator Telenor has got both National and International Long Distance Licenses (NLD and ILD). Unitech Wireless which is planning to rolls out its GSM mobile service in 5 telecom circles in India by December-2009,the last quarter of the current calendar as we cited in our earlier post on TelecomTalk.
The NLD and ILD licenses will enable the telecom operator to provide cost-effective STD and ISD call services to its mobile subscribers. It will also help the operator to save on traffic carriage expenses as it will be carrying its own traffic in NLD and ILD segments.
However, the Government of India has deferred its decision on a proposal to increase Unitech's foreign shareholding in Norway's telecom operator Telenor, to up to 74 percent. Telenor had agreed to buy about 67 percent of Unitech Wireless but the transaction requires government approval.
Due to India's Home Ministry's concerns over security issues, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board is holding up the proposal. Telenor has a presence in both Pakistan and Bangladesh and hence the board has asked for more time to study the proposal. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has however given a no objection certificate to the proposal.
Unitech Wireless which has Unified Access Service (UAS) licenses to provide telecom services in all of the country's 22 telecom circles is yet to start operations.
