TRAI ordered MTS to inform their subscribers about the closure of service

[KAPILKDEV 68]

The cabinet approved a 50 percent cut in the auction reserve price for spectrum in 800Mhz, said Manish Tewari, the minister of information and broadcasting.

[commonman 228]

That makes it 35% cheaper than GSM.

Originally 130% of GSM. Now 65%.

[krishnendu halder 24]

The great Indian telecom drama continues.Auction in March but license extended to feb!It happens only in India!

[gpkumaran 21]

So, Even After that 50% reduction, It must be around 4-5 times what MTS had to pay back then right??

Hoping MTS wud stay.. But one thing is if they`re forced to pay this huge amount, then i dont think it`ll be feasible for them to provide the same cheap services they had provided..

[rajanmehta 4,056]

^^^

Right. Even with current cost structure, MTS is incurring substantial losses.

Not "cheap" but "service" may be the real differentiator for everyone going forward.

[KAPILKDEV 68]

Supreme court again extended the date to continue till march 11. source

[aalok 442]

i'm loving it..

Sent from my GT-P5100 using Tapatalk 2

[sougatadc 358]

^

And I'm waiting to see what the cynics (who were sarcastically telling that MTS smartphones would be used as paper-weights and the MBlaze dongles as card readers) would say after MTS stays smart in the arena.

[KanagaDeepan 1,084]

I usually don't care about personal attacks over me, but since our Sougata ji is wanting response from me, (Yes, KanagaDeepan is the CYNIC here), I am here with an answer or say an explaination...

Let me first show the FULL SENTENCE I have told about MTS (in this same thread at second page) around 2012-Christmas

They also have buying Aircel as one of the options... In that case, it is understandable to sell off all the LOCKED stuff to users in a hurry. Later MTS users who have bought locked phones like MTag can use it as a really nice looking paper weight and MTS MBlaze will be very much useful as a microSD card-reader. (Very few users [incl. me] can unlock it and use TataCDMA or RCdma in it.)

Here, I am NOT saying all MTS handsets will be paper-weights... If they are going to buy Aircel and NOT going to concentrate on CDMA (like most Indian CDMA operators), then LOCKED phones of MTS will be as good as paper-weight..

-----------------------------------

Sougata ji, you are loving your network operator soo much that you didn't get my point..

[sougatadc 358]

My dear Kanaga, kindly don't take it personally. Please take it lightly.

I feel from my heart that every subscriber is with his chosen operator for certain reason of course. We should not want anybody to suffer because of operator's closure. The reasons for choosing an operator may be for good signal or better tariff or cheaper group calling or better handset options (e.g. many friends here are with Reliance) or better internet option. For me, Tata and Reliance yet to launch EVDO at my place. BSNL has 3G but it is almost not there, if you count on signal quality. Voda and AirTel have launched 3G but at very limited towers. Hence, MTS is my only serious option.

I'm not loving MTS, but am compelled to be with it. Let's hope all the subscribers stay happy with their chosen operators. Even if CDMA operators are enjoying lesser investment in business for procuring spectrum, it should never be our grudge against their subscribers. We all are here for friendship basically. GSM biggies are not at all pro-subscribers, they always try to squeeze them for more revenue. It's only the CDMA operators who have balanced the aggressiveness of the market. It was Tata who introduced per-second calls and Reliance and MTS came out with cheaper and much steadier internet. Tata's photon, MTS's Mblaze or Reliance's Netconnect are still the best options for portable internet in terms of tariff and stability. AirTel's 4G is a flop and they surely will try to rake up more money from 2G or 3G market to nullify that loss.

If I had Reliance EVDO at my place, I'd be the first person to use it only because of handset options that are galore with us in our beloved forum.

[rajanmehta 4,056]

Breaking News:

Source: Times of India & PTI Ticker

Telecom firms whose licences were cancelled and didn't participate in fresh auction for 2G spectrum will cease to operate forthwith: Supreme Court

Another Bad News: Source PTI

2G: SC Dismisses Curative Pleas of Telcos & Raja

New Delhi, Feb 14 (PTI) The Supreme Court today dismissed curative petitions of several telecom firms for re-examination of its verdict cancelling 122 2G spectrum licences allocated during tenure of former Telecom Minister A Raja.

The apex court also denied permission to Raja to file his curative petition.

The companies whose petitions were rejected are Videocon Telecommunications Ltd, Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd (SSTL), Tata Teleservices Ltd (TTSL) and Idea Cellular Ltd.

Edited February 15, 2013 by rajanmehta

[HetalDP 947]

Now MTS have to pay Atleast 7000 to 8000 Crores Pan India, i suspect after payin that much amount it will be profitable or it can afford to give the data connection at current rates

if they choose not to opt for Spectrum rather buyout Aircel (I would deifantely buy Aircel then Buying CDMA Spectrum at this price )

I am waiting lacks of MTS Device comes to RCOM for Flashing

[chitshar 25]

CDMA spectrum for 5mhz pan India is 9000 crores. MTS has 2.5 mhz so they pay 4500 crores, minus 1650 crores which they paid in 2008 and initially only 25% payable. Rest to be paid after 2 years in 10 yearly installments. I think they can easily buyback all their spectrum. On the other hand if they choose to buy Aircel they pay 3-4 billion at one time plus take 3-4 billion debt that aircel has. In my opinion buying back spectrum in auction is much better choice. Only concern is longtime data requirement will not be fulfilled by just 2.5 mhz spectrum and there is little scope for further availability of 800 mhz spectrum in future.

[sougatadc 358]

^

If Chitranjan's analysis is true, there is no reason for MTS to be frightened. The calculation reveals that MTS will be required to pay Rs.712.5 crore now, which is not beyond reach, I think.

Buying a broke company like Aircel is not a good proposition at all.

[csmart 472]

MTS is trying back door entry. ie it forcing Russian govt and also threatening India to use clauses in Indo-Russian Treaty which will protect its investment. MTS already said it not buying Aircel due to difference in valuation.

[krishnendu halder 24]

whatever happens we need mts to remain so that some competition remains in cdma sector,because dual operators are blindly ignoring cdma.

Edited February 16, 2013 by krishnendu halder

[rajanmehta 4,056]

MTS is trying back door entry. ie it forcing Russian govt and also threatening India to use clauses in Indo-Russian Treaty which will protect its investment. MTS already said it not buying Aircel due to difference in valuation.

There are no doors left now for MTS whether front, back or side since the curative petion is rejected. As a double whammy, Supreme Court also ordered that telcos whose licenses were cancelled and which did not participate/win in last auction in November will cease to operate forthwith. That means now there is no time extension for service till the next auction in March for MTS (As everyone was hoping). No matter whether MTS again participates/wins in March Auction or buys out any other Telco, the SERVICE will now STOP most probably. Once that happens, all the customers will migrate to other network if they wish to retain the same number whether they like it or not. If and when afterwards MTS starts service again, it will be mostly starting from a Zero Customer Base (And how difficult that could be in the telecom sector).

Indo Russian Treaty also can't protect as clauses in such treaties are generally meant for losses due to unfavourable/unjust treatment to foreign investors compared to local businesses by actions/policies of government. Here the loss happened due to court orders.

Edited February 16, 2013 by rajanmehta

[ravi_patent 28]

i am writing here after longtime...i beleive MTS can continue as told by chitshar

see todays BL as well as ET. Hon SC is going to pass seperate order in respect of MTS/Sistema shaym

[sougatadc 358]

Welcome back Ravi.

[aalok 442]

just received an SMS from MTS

"MTS apni services ko jari rakhna chahti hai aur adarniya Supreme Court se nirdesh jari hone ke uprant Mar 2013 ko license auction mei nishchit rup se shamil hogi"

[KAPILKDEV 68]

Thank you friends for the valuable informations. 'The Telegraph ' reports that MTS will continue till next auction. MTS will participate in the bid but only in selected circles instead of pan India. Source

[inception 75]

Court will deliver seperate notice to MTS. And already MTS filed for extension of services.

Till date MTS has no services in North East, Jammu Kashmir, Assam, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. So MTS may leave 7 circles, and go for remaining 15 circles, where MTS has EVDO coverage also. Now as competition is almost nil in CDMA, MTS may get the spectrum at base price. MTS can go for 2.5 MHz in certain circles where voice customers are very poor, while 3.75-5MHz in circles where it has good voice customer base. This calculation can help MTS to cut down further cost to acquire spectrum.

[sougatadc 358]

Today morning I received a fresh message from MTS saying, "2GB@ Rs. 291 !! Now enjoy 2GB High Speed Data on recharge of Rs. 291. Validity 30 days."

This indicates positive approach on the part of MTS.

However, it isn't clear whether this recharge will give 2GB + 1X unlimited or not. I called CC but they have no update. Actually they didn't hear about this recharge at all (as usual with CC).

[Saiesh 12]

Is this offer for data card? or Smart Phone?

Today morning I received a fresh message from MTS saying, "2GB@ Rs. 291 !! Now enjoy 2GB High Speed Data on recharge of Rs. 291. Validity 30 days."

This indicates positive approach on the part of MTS.

However, it isn't clear whether this recharge will give 2GB + 1X unlimited or not. I called CC but they have no update. Actually they didn't hear about this recharge at all (as usual with CC).

[rajanmehta 4,056]

Let's hope that MTS gets a fresh breather from the supreme court & service can continue till the next auction in March. But in the worst case scenario if it does not succeed & services will stop before the next auction, I have a sensible suggestion for all MTS subscribers. Purely as a cautionary measure, just generate the port out code and keep it handy without actually porting out. Validity will be for 15 days. Upon expiry of that code, you can continue to keep generating a new code till the issue is settled finally.

What has happened with Uninor Mumbai Circle yesterday is that services stopped from midnight & most users were not even aware of that because of short notice. They have lost the number/balance permanently as they can't even generate port out code now because of network closure.