The competition intensity in the telecom industry has led to frequent tariff cuts, eroding operator margins. The debt-laden operators have been reporting quarter-on-quarter losses for the past couple of years, making it extremely difficult to raise fresh funds for further expansion.

Minister for communications and IT KapilSibal has affirmed that mobile users will not have to pay any roaming charges from 2013. The government had, in May this year, announced the “one nation, one licence” regime as part of the National Telecom Policy, 2012. The aim of the policy is to abolish roaming charges and allow mobile subscribers to use the same number across the country without having to pay any extra charges. Free roaming within the country is a norm worldwide, in countries such as the US, Canada, France,...