New Delhi: Communication Minister A Raja today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and briefed him about the developments in the telecom sector including recent policy decision like introduction of number portability and releasing spectrum for third generation (3G) mobile services.

The meeting lasted for about 25 minutes, official sources confirmed. Raja's meeting with Singh comes in the wake of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), a lobby of existing GSM players, labelling serious allegations against the minister saying the decision regarding use of dual technology has been taken in a completely non-transparent manner.

Raja had, last week, informed Singh that COAI was misleading the nation against the "scientific approach" on spectrum allocation.

The sector has been witnessing various controversies over the use of dual technology by a single operator and new method of spectrum allocation, even as the government has set up a fresh panel to revisit Telecom Engineering Centre's (TEC) recommendations on spectrum issues.

Both the issues have been challenged by COAI in telecom tribunal TDSAT. Some COAI members have sought Singh's intervention to protect their interests, while CDMA players and the new applicants have accused GSM lobby of being anti-competition.

Raja also announced a major policy decision on releasing spectrum for 3G mobile services throwing the segment open for competition from private and foreign players subject to security clearances.

Source : PTI