One of the leading telecom operators Uninor closed down its operations in Mumbai after midnight on February 16 after the Supreme Court on Friday ordered all operators that did not win spectrum in the previous auctions to close down services immediately.
“Uninor is bound by law to comply with the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and will therefore have to close down its mobile network immediately. The company hereby advises all its customers and business partners that for now the Uninor network in Mumbai will not be available after midnight on February 16, 2013”, the company said in a statement.
Last month Uninor had said that it would be difficult for it participate in the bid for Mumbai, if the reserve price for 1800 Mhz spectrum is not brought down by atleast 50%.
The company had lost its licences following the verdict of the Supreme Court in February last year cancelling all the 122 2G licences allotted during the tenure of the former telecom minister A Raja. These licences were believed to be rigged.
The company is also planning to seek DoT’s and Supreme Court’s intervention to ensure that the second round of auction to be held in March this year does not meet the same fate as the first one.
Unior said that its operations in six circles of Maharashtra and Goa, Gujarat, UP East, UP West, Bihar and Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh will continue as fresh spectrum for 20 years has already been secured.
Telenor’s Indian unit, Telewings Communications Pvt Ltd had in November secured spectrum for six telecom zones, Gujarat, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh east, Uttar Pradesh west and Andhra Prades. The company had in November also said that it would focus on the six telecom circles.
Telenor which was a part of the joint venture with Unitech Group has parted ways with the later following the 2G scam and has find a new partner in Mumbai-based Lakshdeep Investments & Finance. Uninor will also sign roaming agreements with other operators to ensure that all Uninor customers get seamless connectivity when travelling to Mumbai. “All Uninor customers from Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and other circles will continue to be able to use their Uninor phones in Mumbai” it said,
“We have pursued every alternative possible to continue our operations in Mumbai until the new auction takes place. Now the Court has ordered an immediate closure of operations and no temporary license too is available to allow a gradual process. Unfortunately, we have no choice now but to follow the Court’s order and close down our network immediately,” said Sigve Brekke, Managing Director of Uninor.
He however said that he deeply regret the consequences this has for our customers, employees and business partners, each of whom have been a part of a remarkable fight back last year.
He said that the company will now make every effort, within the limitations of this Court order, to minimize the negative impact on all affected by this development.
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