TRAI has a ‘warning’ on Vodafone-Idea’s collapse

NEW DELHI: A two-private player duopoly in the telecom market would be too risky in India, especially for the consumers, senior officials of the sectoral watchdog said.
They pointed out that the telecom regulator had recommended relief measures such as a cut in the spectrum usage charge (SUC) and Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) levy long back, but the government is yet to take any action.
“Three private companies as well as a government-backed player will be appropriate to cater to a billion subscribers. I think a two-player market is too risky,” a senior official at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), told ET. The official asked not to be identified.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed the review petitions of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea against the October 24 order, which widened the definition of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) to include non-core items.