Union Communications Minister, A Raja will meet service providers in an effort to sort out long pending issues related to the telecom sector in the country.

The move follows the DoT trying to resolve the issue over new recommendations announced by TRAI pertaining to 2G spectrum allocation and pricing, by referring it to an empowered group of ministers (EGoM).

Even the PMO had desired that the new recommendations be referred to by an EGoM.

Incumbent GSM operators such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar and Idea are opposing the recommendations since they feel that they are at the receiving end of it. The aggravation of these operators is so high that they refused to participate in TRAI’s consultation process for working out the pricing model for 2G spectrum.

The Minister is also expected to address the impasse over ban on import of Chinese telecom gear.

The issue of BSNL and MTNL to be exempted from paying 3G and BWA spectrum fee is also to be discussed.