In a bid to ensure that the global economic crisis does not adversely impact the upcoming 3G auctions, the government is considering relaxing some of the auction guidelines to make it easier for operators to pay large amounts. Accordingly, successful bidders may have to pay only the reserve price upfront and the rest in equal instalments later. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) may fix specific dates to evolve either a quarterly or a biannual payment mechanism. The proposal, which is still at an initial stage, comes in the wake of some telecom players raising concerns over their ability to mobilise funds for bidding due to the liquidity crunch. Meanwhile, the finance ministry has expressed its concern at the delay in finalising a policy for 3G mobile services.